Mouth of Hell
illustration from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves
Quick Summary
The "Mouth of Hell" illustration from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves depicts the entrance to the underworld as the literal mouths of monstrous, lionlike creatures. Within these gaping jaws lies a fiery furnace where demons push the damned. This medieval artwork, created around 1440, is part of a popular prayer book and reflects common fears of hell during the Middle Ages, featuring demons and tormented souls. The illustration is a vivid representation of the medieval concept of hell as a terrifying, monstrous maw.12
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