Artwork
The Raising of Lazarus
The Raising of Lazarus is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Aertgen van Leyden. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Aertgen van Leyden’s oil on canvas, titled *The Raising of Lazarus*, was executed circa 1630. The work presents the moment from the Gospel of John when Lazarus is called forth from death, set within a bustling composition that draws the eye to the central figure’s emergence from the ground. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection in Amsterdam.
Subject & Meaning
The scene gathers several biblical characters: Lazarus of Bethany, who appears serene as he rises; St. James the Elder, identifiable by his traditional attributes; and a donor portrait integrated into the narrative. The surrounding crowd, rendered in vivid garments, reacts with gestures of astonishment and reverence, emphasizing the miracle’s impact on witnesses.
Technique & Style
Van Leyden employs an early Baroque idiom influenced by Italian models, evident in the dramatic chiaroscuro and dynamic arrangement of figures. The central figure’s white robe contrasts sharply with the darker tones of the onlookers, creating a focal point. Loose brushwork in the background suggests a distant town and foliage, while the foreground is rendered with greater detail.
History & Provenance
Although trained in Leiden, van Leyden produced this work later in his career, around the 1630s. After changing hands over the centuries, the painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it remains on display. The artist’s oeuvre is also represented in institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Context
The composition reflects the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on vivid, emotionally charged religious imagery designed to inspire devotion. By integrating a donor figure within the biblical narrative, van Leyden aligns the patron’s piety with the miracle, a common practice in Dutch devotional art of the period.
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…
