Artwork
Raising the Young Man of Nain
Raising the Young Man of Nain is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Paolo Veronese. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Paolo Veronese's oil painting, Raising the Young Man of Nain, created between approximately 1565 and 1570, depicts a pivotal moment from the New Testament.
Paolo Veronese's oil painting, Raising the Young Man of Nain, created between approximately 1565 and 1570, depicts a pivotal moment from the New Testament. The work illustrates Christ's miraculous revival of the son of the widow of Nain, a narrative set against a backdrop that blends biblical tradition with contemporary Venetian elements. This large-scale canvas is a significant example of the artist's mature style.
Subject & Meaning
The painting vividly portrays the biblical account of Jesus restoring the widow's son to life. Veronese places the event within a grand architectural setting, featuring a colonnade reminiscent of contemporary Venetian stage designs. The figures, including the grieving mother and her companions, are depicted in elaborate, aristocratic attire typical of 16th-century Venice, grounding the sacred narrative in the artist's own time and place.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting features a rich palette dominated by warm, deep reds, blues, and earthy tones. Veronese employs striking contrasts of light and shadow, illuminating key figures and faces while allowing others to recede, thereby enhancing the dramatic intensity of the scene. The composition emphasizes the urgency of the moment, particularly through the expressive gestures of the central figures.
History & Provenance
This large oil on canvas first entered the collection of Bartolomeo della Nave. In 1659, the artwork was acquired by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, a prominent patron and collector. It has since remained a part of the imperial collections, eventually finding its permanent home in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it is cataloged as GG 52.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paolo Caliari (1528 – 19 April 1588), known as Paolo Veronese ( VERR-ə-NAY-zay, -zee, US also -see; Italian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice, known for extremely large history paintings of…
