[IRELAND.SLIGO 21877] ‘Cross at Drumcliff.’ Medieval cross at Drumcliff, north of Sligo. The shaft of the cross portrays Adam and Eve beside the apple tree. Mick Palarczyk.

[RUSSIA.GOLDENRING 26.172] ‘Eating from the Tree of Knowledge.’ Coaxed by a snake Adam and Eve take apples from the Tree of Knowledge. The paradise they are living in is a brilliantly white space with fountain like trees overarched by a huge heavenly eyebrow. The scene was created by unknown 17th century artists in the southern vestibule of Tutayev’s Resurrection Cathedral. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[RUSSIA.GOLDENRING 26.166] ‘Leaving paradise.’ While in the scene on the right Adam is still happily conversing with the animals, the central scene shows God gently handing the clothes Adam and Eve will have to wear in future. The paradise they have to leave is a brilliantly white space with fountain like trees overarched by a huge heavenly eyebrow. The paradise gate awaits them on the left. This gripping visualization of biblical scenes was created by unknown 17th century artists in the southern vestibule of Tutayev’s Resurrection Cathedral. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[RUSSIA.GOLDENRING 26.069] ‘Creation of Adam.’ Adam receives the breath of life from an angel in the western vestibule of Yaroslavl’s Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Worker (1622). Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[FRANCE.ALPSNORTH 10977] 'Jesus' descent to the dead.’ Not only do the frescoes in the Chapelle Saint Sébastien in Lanslevillard reach an astonishing high artistic level, the colours have kept their original saturation as well. This most important work of art in the Haute Maurienne has been painted at the end of the 15th century by artists from Piemonte (now in Italy but then in the same country: Savoy). Its location may seem unexpected: a small village deep in the Alps. But the chapel is situated right at the start of the pass road over the Col du Mont Cenis, in those days one of the main connections between France and Italy. The fresco shows what is often called the Harrowing of Hell or the Descent into Limbo. After being entombed and before resurrection Jesus descents to the dead and releases Hell's captives, particularly Adam and Eve (holding hands) and the righteous people of Old Testament times. Photo Paul Smit.

[RUSSIA.GOLDENRING 26.168] ‘Conversing with the animals.’ In paradise Adam is conversing with lions, unicorns and stags, unaware of the disaster that will soon change his blissful life. The scene was created by unknown 17th century artists in the southern vestibule of Tutayev’s Resurrection Cathedral. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[RUSSIA.GOLDENRING 26.164] ‘Glazed tiles and frescoes.’ The windows and plinth of the southern vestibule in Tutayev’s 17th century Resurrection Cathedral are decorated with the glazed tiles for which the Yaroslavl region is renowned. The vaulted ceiling has scenes from Genesis with Adam receiving the breath of life and talking to the animals in Paradise. Photo Mick Palarczyk.