Artwork

Studies for the Raising of Lazarus and Other Compositions [verso]

Studies for the Raising of Lazarus and Other Compositions [verso] is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Veronese. It dates from 1582 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1582, this pen and brown‑ink drawing on laid paper is a preparatory study by Paolo Veronese for his intended composition of the Raising of Lazarus. Executed on the verso of another sheet, the work consists of a loose, gestural sketch that explores the arrangement of figures and the dramatic moment of resurrection.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a central figure being elevated amid a throng of onlookers, suggesting the biblical miracle of Lazarus’s return to life. The crowd’s varied gestures convey astonishment and reverence, while the central uplifted form anchors the narrative focus on divine intervention and human response.

Technique & Style

Veronese employs rapid, sketchy strokes of brown ink combined with a light wash, allowing some figures to emerge as faint outlines while others appear denser and almost smudged. The texture of the laid paper and occasional marginal notes reveal the artist’s experimental approach to composition, movement, and emotional intensity.

History & Provenance

The study is a working sheet from Veronese’s late career, likely retained in his studio as a reference for the final oil painting. Its survival on the verso of an earlier drawing indicates reuse of paper, a common practice among Venetian artists of the period.