Artwork
The Raising of Lazarus
The Raising of Lazarus is a paint painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Albert van Ouwater. It dates from 1465 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Albert van Ouwater’s *The Raising of Lazarus*, painted in 1465, presents a biblical miracle in a compact interior setting. The composition centers on the lifeless figure on a stone slab, surrounded by onlookers whose gestures convey a mixture of concern and anticipation. The work is part of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s collection and exemplifies early Netherlandish attention to narrative detail.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates the New Testament episode in which Jesus calls Lazarus from death. Van Ouwater emphasizes the moment of transition: Lazarus’s raised hands and illuminated face suggest the instant of resurrection, while the varied reactions of the surrounding figures highlight themes of faith, doubt, and the transformative power of divine intervention.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on panel, the painting employs a restrained palette of blues, reds, and earth tones, allowing the chiaroscuro on Lazarus’s body to stand out against the darker surroundings. Precise rendering of brick, stone, and glass windows reflects the early Netherlandish commitment to realistic detail, while the careful modeling of light creates a subtle three‑dimensional effect.
History & Provenance
Created by van Ouwater, an early practitioner of the Northern Renaissance outside the main Flemish centers, the work entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings in the early twentieth century. Its attribution to van Ouwater has been supported by stylistic analysis linking it to his other documented works from the mid‑15th century.
Context
The painting belongs to a period when Northern artists were integrating religious narratives with domestic interiors, a hallmark of the Northern Renaissance. Van Ouwater’s choice to depict the miracle within a modest, almost contemporary space reflects a broader trend of making sacred events accessible to viewers through familiar settings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Albert van Ouwater (c. 1410/1415 – 1475) was one of the earliest artists of Early Netherlandish painting working in the Northern Netherlands, as opposed to Flanders in the South of the region.
