The Temptation of Christ by the Devil Painting in the Cloisters, Sept. 2007

The Temptation of Christ by the Devil

Fresco transferred to canvas
Spain, Castile-Leon, Soria, ca. 1120-1140
From the church of San Baudelio de Berlanga

Accession #s: 61.248

The church of San Baudelio in northern Castile was originally decorated with a complete cycle of wall paintings depicting the life of Christ above a row illustrating hunting scenes and various exotic animals. The New Testament scenes can be ascribed to a master who worked on the paintings at Santa Maria de Tahull, in the province of Lerida. According to contemporary accounts, animals were represented in fresco cycles for "adornment and beauty only" and did not have symbolic functions.

Text from the Cloisters label.