Among the forms of reception of medieval literature are not only reading and listening but also viewing: the image is an essential component of the literary culture of the pre-modern era. When one inquires about its historical functions, it becomes clear that it is much more than mere illustration of the text. The reformulation of literary themes in the visual medium sets its own accents compared to the text tradition and thus imparts new dimensions of meaning to the subjects. This study, conceived as a contribution to current text-image research, focuses on literary subjects in the wall paintings of late medieval and early modern residential buildings. Using the example of the frescoes in Lichtenberg Castle in South Tyrol, depicting scenes from the heroic epic narrative of Laurin, as well as paintings in Lucerne patrician houses with thematic parallels to secular and spiritual plays, the study leads the way.