Scenes from the Bible

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales View of scenes along the south wall of the nave and the west end of the church. larger image

about 1865-1878 Series of scenes from the Old and New Testaments covering the walls around the church. The decoration continues into the chancel. West wall: Jesus blessing the children, Jesus with a child among the disciples. Scenes along the north wall (from the west): God appearing to Adam and Eve, the sacrifice of Isaac, God giving the Ten Commandments, Job visited by his wife, three scenes depicting acts of mercy and the widow's mite. Scenes along the south wall (from the west): The Raising of Lazarus, Jesus saves Peter from drowning, the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment, Jesus welcoming the saved into heaven, Mary Magdalene at the house of Simon the Leper, Jesus washes Peter's feet, the return the the Prodigal Son and the Prodigal Son tending pigs. Either side of the chancel arch are scenes depicting the wise and foolish virgins. Each have biblical texts below. technique: painting patron: Henry James and Magaret Bath (family) artist: Alfred Stansell Church of the Holy Trinity, Pont-ar-gothi, Carmarthenshire The murals were probably largely completed by about 1870, but remained unfinished even after the dedication of the church in 1878. In some cases pencil marks can be seen indicating proposed colouring and further detail. The murals were conserved by Lloyd Haslam Conservation in 2006–7.  (ObjectID=643 ImageID=3276) Original File Name=_MG_3863.jpg

Other works associated with this work

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• a woman washes Christ's feet with her tears, and wipes them with her hair  [Luke 7:37-39]
• Christ blessing children brought by their mothers  [Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17]
• Christ calls a child and sets it in the midst of the apostles (disciples): 'unless you ... become like children'  [Matthew 18:2-4; Mark 9:36-37; Luke 9:47-48]
• Christ saves Peter from drowning  [Matthew 14:28-31]
• Christ washes Peter's feet  [John 13:6-10]
• city-view in general, landscape with city or town 
• feeding the hungry - one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy  [Matthew 25:31-46]
• healing of a woman with an issue of blood: she kneels before Christ after having touched his robe - miracles of Christ  [Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48]
• Job on the dunghill visited by his wife  [Job 2:9-10]
• Moses receives the tables of the law from God  [Exodus 24:12; Exodus 31:18]
• the blessed are brought to heaven - Last Judgement 
• the prodigal son returns home, where his father awaits him  [Luke 15:20-32]
• the prodigal son tends the swine and eats from their trough  [Luke 15:15-16]
• the raising of Lazarus ('Lazarus, come out')  [John 11:38-44]
• the widow's mite: Christ draws the disciples' attention to a woman who puts a few coins in the temple's money chest  [Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4]
• the wise and the foolish virgins sleeping  [Matthew 25:5]
• visiting or liberating the imprisoned: one of the seven Acts of Mercy  [Matthew 25:31-46]
• visiting the sick - one of the (seven) Acts of Mercy  [Matthew 25:31-46]
• when Abraham has his hand raised to kill Isaac, God or the hand of God restrains Abraham's hand - the sacrifice of Isaac  [Genesis 22:10-12]
• when the bridegroom arrives, all wake up and the foolish virgins ask the wise virgins oil for their lamps - the wise and foolish virgins  [Matthew 25:6-9]

Philip Johnes, Interview with Philip Johnes (Pontargothi: 7 March 2007).

Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield, The Buildings of Wales: Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion (London: Yale University Press, 2006), p. 366-7.

John Morgan-Guy, 'Fiery angels and country parsons' in Icon News, vol. 20 (2009), 18-19, 22.

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales