What are medieval doom paintings?

Answer 1

Medieval doom paintings are pictures of what medieval people thought of. A picture of Heaven and a picture of Hell.

A doom is a painting of the last judgment, an event in christian eschatology. Christ judges souls, and then sends them to either heaven or hell. Many Dooms survive in medieval churches dating from around the 12th to 16th centuries, although they were virtually standard in churches from much earlier than that.

Dooms were used to remind medieval Christians of the afterlife and Judgment Day, and to help keep them mindful of sinning by showing in graphic detail the dramatic difference between Heaven and Hell. A Doom was usually sited either on the rear (Western) wall, if that had a suitable space, or at the front of a church, often on the Chancel arch itself, so that it would be constantly in view of worshipers as they looked towards the Priest during services.

Although there are many different versions, the theme's format stays broadly the same. On the left side of a Doom painting (that is, on Christ's right hand) is Heaven, whilst on the right is Hell. At the top of the image Jesus Christ sits in glory with his right hand encouraging the saved up and his left hand pointing down to Hell for the damned. Typically flanking him is the virgin Mary on his right and John the apostle on his left, sometimes with the twenty four elders mentioned in the book of Revelation encircling the three of them. The angles blow their trumpets to raise the dead for judgment. Commonly the Archangel lord is in the centre, with the scales he will use to weigh the souls of humanity to see if individually they are fit for Heaven: one person is on one side of the scale while demonic creatures that represent the sins committed by the person are on the other side of the scale. The creatures try to tip the scales in their favour while, in some versions of the painting, The Virgin Mary places a rosary next to the person she wishes to protect, or puts her hand on the scale to counterbalance the demons.

Those who are worthy are brought to the gates of Heaven, frequently represented by a castle with large walls built to keep out sinful impurities. This is most commonly depicted on the left hand side of Doom paintings. Groups of angels adorn the walls of Heaven celebrating the saved as they approach Heaven's gates, where saint peter waits with his keys.

Those on the other side of the painting, unworthy of Heaven, are seized by demons and brought into the mouth of hell, beyond which, mostly out of sight, lie the bowels of Hell where endless pain and suffering await them. The mouth of Hell is usually represented by a huge monster with its fiery mouth open wide to receive the Damned being forced into it. In some cases the demons have chains tied around the Damned who are helplessly pulled in, while in others the Damned are dragged or carried. In yet other cases the Damned are brought into Hell in wheelbarrows or baskets.

Answer 2

They were normally made during the middle ages. During that time people were often afraid of going to hell and so sometimes, if you could afford it, then you would pay a priest to worship for you, as most people couldn't normally read and write so they did not know how to pray. In churches on the walls they would of had paintings. Half of the painting would be of what they thought hell was like and on the other side would be what they thought heaven was like. People were very scared of going to hell!

Answer 3

Medieval churches were entirely decorated inside with mural paintings (and often the ceilings were painted as well). These might include a "Doom", but more often had scenes of good triumphing over evil, Bibles stories, the lives of the Saints and images of Christ, Holy Mary and the angels.

The English historian and writer E W Tristram produced a series of immensely important books in the 1940s on English medieval wall paintings, with drawings he made of surviving examples at that time - many of those paintings have since been destroyed or crumbled to dust. Subjects he identified include:

• Heaven
• Christ in Majesty
• Apocalypse
• Doom (Judgement Day)
• Adoration of the Lamb
• Signs of the Zodiac
• Labours of the Months
• Old Testament stories
• The Life of Christ
• Holy Mary
• Saints
• Bishops
• Kings
• Animals and mythical beasts
• Angels
• The Crucifixion
• Consecration Crosses

Dooms represent only a small minority of the subjects depicted.

Answer 4

To remind the sinners that not to any sins. they had pictures related to heaven and hell to show where you might end up. they show judgement day and what can happen