Raising of Lazarus

Bryan Lundgren
Duccio, Raising of Lazarus, 1310

Lazarus has been dead for four days, but now he stands in his burial shroud leaving the tomb with his eyes wide open. The smell must have been pretty bad because the onlooker in black dress socks covers his nose from the smell. Lazarus somehow defies physics by hopping to an upright position with his hands and feet tightly wrapped in linen cloth, sort of like a winning a two-legged burlap bag race at a family picnic without falling over. All we see of Lazarus is his ashen face, while the rest of the painting jumps out in vivid colors. Clearly, this guy was once dead.

Maybe when Duccio painted The Raising of Lazarus in 1310 people were accustomed to seeing this scene. The crowd on hand does not look particularly happy or eager to see poor Lazarus. Jesus, however, with his outstretched arm and a large decorative plate around his head, looks determined and compassionate. Duccio portrays Jesus as sure of himself, understanding the future meaning and significance of this miracle. The only person in the painting, a woman in a bright red robe, understands what has just happened. She, alone, directs her attention to Jesus, not to the smelly, wrapped, former corpse in the tomb.

Here, dozens of witnesses who had come to mourn the death of Lazarus instead witness the dude standing and breathing. How could this be anything but the awesome power and divine intervention of a benevolent God trying to make a point?

  • 7:00 AM

Raising of Lazarus

Giotto
Giotto, Raising of Lazarus, 1305

Jesus knew God would vindicate him. He heard of the illness of Lazarus, Mary’s brother. Mary entreated him to cure Lazarus, but he chose to wait two days to go to Bethany. He allowed Lazarus to die to display his divinity to the people of Bethany by enacting a miracle. After confusing his disciples by telling them Lazarus slept, he clarified: “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him” (John 11. 14-15). He arrived four days after the man’s death. The townspeople wept; Mary scolded Jesus for letting her brother die. Jesus wept, too. It seems he tricked the entire village; despite his weeping he never once doubted the miracle. He went to the tomb and opened the door, commanding Lazarus to come forth. Lazarus emerged, covered in cloth, but revived four days after his death.

Giotto’s Raising of Lazarus, painted between 1304 and 1306, depicts Lazarus when he exits the cave. In the foreground, two jubilant boys deposit the stone that covered the cave in which Lazarus was put to rest. In the middle ground, Jesus and his followers on the left watch as Lazarus emerges. Lazarus’ friends bear astounded expressions. In the background, a mountain with three trees pushes the piece upward, even though all the action takes place in the lower half of the painting. The line of the mountain points directly to Jesus, making Jesus the focal point of the piece. Giotto creates life-like clothing with realistic, intricate shading on the folds of the fabric. While the sky has obviously fallen victim to time, a whisper of Giotto’s recognizable deep blues remains. In the shading and the unique expressions, this work displays Giotto’s mastery of fresco.

  • 7:00 AM

Raising of Lazarus

Giotto

Giotto, Raising of Lazerus, 1304-1306

 "Jesus knew God would vindicate him. He heard of the illness of Lazarus, Mary’s brother. Mary entreated him to cure Lazarus, but he chose to wait two days to go to Bethany. He allowed Lazarus to die to display his divinity to the people of Bethany by enacting a miracle. After confusing his disciples by telling them Lazarus slept, he clarified: 'Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.'”  - John 11:14-15.

 He arrived four days after the man’s death. The townspeople wept; Martha scolded Jesus for letting her brother die. Jesus wept, too. It seems he tricked the entire village; despite his weeping he never once doubted the miracle. He went to the tomb and opened the door, commanding Lazarus to come forth. Lazarus emerged, covered in cloth, but revived four days after his death.

 Giotto’s Raising of Lazarus, painted between 1304 and 1306, depicts Lazarus when he exits the cave. In the foreground, two jubilant boys deposit the stone that covered the cave in which Lazarus lay. In the middle ground, Jesus and his followers on the left watch as Lazarus emerges. Lazarus’ friends bear astounded expressions. In the background, a mountain with three trees pushes the piece upward, even though all the action takes place in the lower half of the painting. The line of the mountain points directly to Jesus, making Jesus the focal point of the piece. Giotto creates lifelike clothing with realistic, intricate shading on the folds of the fabric. While the sky has obviously fallen victim to time, a whisper of Giotto’s recognizable deep blues remains. In the shading and the unique expressions, this work displays Giotto’s mastery of fresco.

  • 7:00 AM