Prayer in the Side-hole

In The Bookmark, the Labouress displays a painting above her desk that Liesl describes this way: “The macabre picture depicted a young girl inside a chasm that had been slashed into the side of a hill like an open wound. The girl knelt in prayer as blood poured over her head, streaming down her body and and running in rivulets across the hillside. In an odd contrast, the top of the hill bloomed with a profusion of beautiful, oversized flowers.”

This is that painting:

Prayer in the Side-hole by Marianne von Watteville

Prayer in the Side-hole, sometimes referred to as Living in the Side-hole, is an 18th c. work by Marianne von Watteville, created with embroidery and watercolors. Moravians during this time period were fascinated with the wounds of the Savior. They believed the wounds symbolized Christ’s sacrifice and love for humanity. Moravian artists created numerous artworks like this one and even small devotional cards known as “side-hole cards.”

Wie warmsichs liegt im Seitelein / Ehre dem Seitenshrein

I believe this may be one of those small side-hole devotional cards. The painting shows someone actually living in the side-hole with a little bed, some furniture, and even a clock. The German title is Wie warmsichs liegt im Seitelein / Ehre dem Seitenshrein, which translates to How warm it is in the little side / Honor to the side shrine.

Resurrected Christ and his Wounds by John Valentine Haidt

The Moravian Museum also has a wound-themed painting prominently displayed at the front of their Saal (hall in German), the first worship space in Bethlehem. This reproduction of the painting Resurrected Christ and His Wounds is by John Valentine Haidt, a famous Moravian artist. This painting is less graphic but still reminds us of the significance of Christ’s wounds.

Zinzendorf, the influential 18th c. leader of the Moravian Church, believed meditating on the wounds of the Savior would elicit a spiritual experience. And that sense of being washed in the blood would then protect the believer from sin and despair.

Zinzendorf wrote a famous hymn on the subject. Here is one stanza:

I thirst, Thou wounded Lamb of God,
To wash me in Thy cleansing blood;
To dwell within Thy wounds; then pain
Is sweet, and life or death is gain.

When I was doing my research for The Bookmark, I discovered the intriguing Prayer in the Side-hole painting and wanted to find a way to include it in my story. As I developed the character known as the Labouress, I realized it was a perfect choice for her!

References

“Understanding Zinzendorf's Blood and Wounds Theology” by Craig D. Atwood

"Honor to the Side": The Adoration of the Side Wound of Jesus in Eighteenth- Century Moravian Piety" by Peter Vogt