Artwork
The Raising of Lazarus
The Raising of Lazarus is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Aertgen van Leyden. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Aertgen van Leyden’s oil painting *The Raising of Lazarus* dates from 1530. Executed in the Northern Mannerist idiom, the work portrays the biblical miracle of Lazarus’s return from death. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is displayed among other 16th‑century Dutch paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the moment Lazarus emerges from his tomb, surrounded by a crowd of witnesses. Figures in vivid reds, blues and golds react with a mixture of awe and reverence, emphasizing the miraculous nature of the event and the theological theme of resurrection.
Technique & Style
Van Leyden employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing the figure of Lazarus to glow against darker surrounding bodies. The artist renders sumptuous fabrics with intricate folds and patterned details, while the bright palette and elongated poses reflect the Mannerist tendency toward elegance and artificiality.
History & Provenance
A native of Leiden, Aertgen van Leyden was the son of a local fuller and apprenticed with Cornelis Engebrechtsz., a leading painter of the city. After its creation, the canvas entered private collections before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the museum’s permanent holdings.
Context
The painting belongs to a period when Dutch artists increasingly explored biblical narratives for devotional and didactic purposes. Van Leyden’s background in stained‑glass design informs the work’s strong contrasts of light and color, echoing the luminous quality of glass panels.
Artist & collection
Artist
Aertgen Claesz. van Leyden (c. 1498 – c. 1564), also known as Allaert or Aert van Leyden or Aert Claesz. van Leyden, was a 16th-Century Dutch painter, draughtsman and designer of stained glass. Works by this artist can…
