Christ in Limbo (detail)

Obviously, every action of the devil against Christ is hopeless and can do no harm. It is ludicrous to see him lean out from his castle at the risk of losing his balance; the fires of hell illuminate his backside with a reddish glow, while he gnashes his teeth mixed with fangs, brandishes his two-pronged fork, and makes a threatening gesture with the blunt, fleshy fingers of his other hand. His head is like that of a he-goat, on his arms there are prickles reminiscent of a bat’s wings; the contours of a beak-like nose on his belly complete the phantom figure of horror created by the fantasy of the Middle Ages.