Christ’s Descent into Limbo, from the Soest Altarpiece

Christ, whose head is missing, stands slightly obliquely to the left on the back of a crouching, crawling monster with open mouth, from which hangs the thick tongue. He holds his right hand up (in front of the banner), the left against the arm of Adam, who steps out of a cave, followed by Eve in a praying posture. Adam has his right arm around Eve and holds his left hand before his shame. Behind them a man, of whom only head and shoulders are visible. In front of Eve a monster crawls out of the ground, which raises its head convulsively. Christ wears a cloak closed with a clasp, which is lifted by the raised right arm, so that the wound in the side is visible; a cloak slip is draped over the left forearm. Behind Christ the door of the vestibule.