The Raising of Lazarus by Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt van Rijn's "The Raising of Lazarus" is a powerful depiction of a pivotal scene from the New Testament. According to John 11:1-44, Jesus Christ raises Lazarus from the dead, performing a miracle that solidifies his divine authority and foreshadows his own resurrection. The painting masterfully captures the emotional intensity of this moment, as Christ stands before Lazarus's tomb, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. With his characteristic use of chiaroscuro, Rembrandt draws the viewer's eye to the central figure of Christ, bathed in a warm, golden light that symbolizes his divine power.
The artistic composition of "The Raising of Lazarus" is notable for its use of diagonal lines and dynamic movement. The figures of Christ and the mourners are arranged in a dramatic, diagonal pattern, creating a sense of tension and energy. The painting's use of color is also striking, with a muted palette of earth tones punctuated by the vibrant, golden light that emanates from Christ. This use of color and composition creates a sense of drama and emotional depth, drawing the viewer into the scene and emphasizing the miracle that is taking place.
The painting is rich in symbolism, with various elements that reinforce the biblical narrative and add deeper layers of meaning. The figure of Christ, for example, is depicted with his arms outstretched, symbolizing his role as a redeemer and savior. The crowd of onlookers, meanwhile, represents the witnesses to the miracle, and their varied reactions – from awe to skepticism – reflect the range of human responses to the divine. The painting's use of symbolism and imagery creates a powerful and thought-provoking work that invites the viewer to reflect on the deeper meaning and significance of the biblical scene.
Rembrandt's "The Raising of Lazarus" is a significant work in the artist's oeuvre, showcasing his mastery of composition, color, and symbolism. The painting demonstrates Rembrandt's ability to balance dramatic tension with emotional depth, creating a work that is both visually striking and intellectually engaging. As a depiction of a pivotal scene from the Bible, "The Raising of Lazarus" offers a powerful exploration of themes that are central to the Christian faith, including redemption, salvation, and the nature of the divine. The painting's enduring appeal lies in its ability to convey these themes with beauty, nuance, and emotional resonance, making it a masterpiece of biblical art that continues to inspire and move viewers to this day.
Details
- Artist
- Rembrandt van Rijn
- Created
- c. 1630 - 1632
- Medium
- oil on panel
- Dimension
- 81cm × 96cm
- Passage
- John 11:1-44
Found in: John, John 11, 17th century
John 11:1-44
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha.
2 It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick.
3 The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”
4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.”
8 The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.”
11 He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”
12 The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.
14 So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead.
15 I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.”
16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”
17 So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.
19 Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.
20 Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.
21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.
22 Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here, and is calling you.”
29 When she heard this, she arose quickly, and went to him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him.
31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
32 Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”
37 Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?”
41 So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, “Father, I thank you that you listened to me.
42 I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude standing around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.”
John 11:1-44 · World English Bible
The artist
Rembrandt van Rijn
1606 - 1669
Leiden, Netherlands
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) stands as one of the towering figures of Dutch Golden Age painting and a master interpreter of biblical narrative. Born in Leiden to a miller father and a baker's daughter mother, Rembrandt received a classical education before pursuing his artistic calling through apprenticeships with Jacob van Swanenburg and, crucially, the Amsterdam history painter Pieter Lastman, who introduced him to the dramatic storytelling techniques that would define his biblical works. After establishing his reputation in Leiden,…