06 works, Today, July 29th, is Saint Lazarus' day, his story thru art #210

Unknown artist

Saint Lazarus

Colour lithograph

Wellcome Trust

I have no further description of this artwork at this time

Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Saint Lazarus, is the subject of a prominent sign of Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death. The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions offer varying accounts of the later events of his life.

The raising of Lazarus at Bethany – today the Palestinian town of Al-Eizariya, which translates to "the place of Lazarus"  exemplifying the power of Jesus "over the last and most irresistible enemy of humanity—death. 

The Master of Perea

Saint Lazarus with his sisters Marta and María, c. 1501-1525

Oil on canvas

Height = 177 cm; Width = 165.50 cm

Lazaro Galdiano Museum, Madrid, Spain

The Master of Perea, was a contemporary in Valencia of the painters Paolo de San Leocadio, Bartolomé Bermejo, Rodrigo de Osona and his son Francisco among others, is characterised by his mastery of the oil technique and his interest in the depiction of detail of a clearly northern type. More on The Master of Perea

Lazarus is identified as the brother of the sisters Mary and Martha. The sisters send word to Jesus that Lazarus, "he whom thou lovest," is ill. Instead of immediately traveling to Bethany, according to the narrator, Jesus intentionally remains where he is for two more days before beginning the journey.

Jacopo Tintoretto,  (1519–1594)

Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary 

Oil on canvas

Height: 197 cm (77.5 in); Width: 129 cm (50.7 in)

Alte Pinakothek ,  Munich, Germany

Tintoretto; born Jacopo Comin, (October, 1518 – May 31, 1594) was an Italian painter and a notable exponent of the Renaissance school. For his phenomenal energy in painting he was termed Il Furioso. His work is characterized by its muscular figures, dramatic gestures, and bold use of perspective in the Mannerist style, while maintaining color and light typical of the Venetian School.

In his youth, Tintoretto was also known as Jacopo Robusti as his father had defended the gates of Padua in a way that others called robust, against the imperial troops during the War of the League of Cambrai (1509–1516). His real name "Comin" has only recently been discovered by Miguel Falomir, the curator of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, and was made public on the occasion of the retrospective of Tintoretto at the Prado in 2007. More on Tintoretto

When Jesus arrives in Bethany, he finds that Lazarus is dead and has already been in his tomb for four days. He meets first with Martha and Mary in turn. Martha laments that Jesus did not arrive soon enough to heal her brother and Jesus replies with the well-known statement, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die". 

Carl Heinrich Bloch, (1834–1890)

Raising of Lazarus by Jesus, c. 1870s

Oil on Copper Plate

41" x 33"

Hope Gallery, Salt Lake City

Carl Heinrich Bloch (23 May 1834 – 22 February 1890) was a Danish painter.

He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Art. His only interest was drawing and painting, and he was consumed by the idea of becoming an artist. He went to Italy to study art, passing through the Netherlands, where he became acquainted with the work of Rembrandt, which became a major influence on him. 

His early work featured rural scenes from everyday life. From 1859 to 1866, Bloch lived in Italy, and this period was important for the development of his historical style.

His first great success was the exhibition of his "Prometheus Unbound" in Copenhagen in 1865. After the death of Marstrand, he finished the decoration of the ceremonial hall at the University of Copenhagen. 

He was then commissioned to produce 23 paintings for the King's Chapel at Frederiksborg Palace. These were all scenes from the life of Christ which have become very popular as illustrations. The originals, painted between 1865 and 1879, are still at Frederiksborg Palace.

Bloch died of cancer on 22 February 1890. His death came as "an abrupt blow for Nordic art" according to an article by Sophus Michaelis. Michaelis stated that "Denmark has lost the artist that indisputably was the greatest among the living." Kyhn stated in his eulogy at Bloch's funeral that "Bloch stays and lives." More on Carl Bloch 

In the presence of a crowd of mourners, Jesus comes to the tomb. Over the objections of Martha, Jesus has them roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb and says a prayer. 

Duccio di Buoninsegna  (1255–1319)

The Raising of Lazarus, between circa 1310 and circa 1311

Tempera and gold on panel

Height: 46 cm (18.1 in) Edit this at Wikidata; Width: 43 cm (16.9 in) Edit this at Wikidata

Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas

Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255–1260 – c. 1318–1319) was an Italian painter active in Siena, Tuscany, in the late 13th and early 14th century. He was hired throughout his life to complete many important works in government and religious buildings around Italy. Duccio is considered one of the greatest Italian painters of the Middle Ages, and is credited with creating the painting styles of Trecento and the Sienese school. He also contributed significantly to the Sienese Gothic style.

Where Duccio studied, and with whom, is still a matter of great debate. Many believe that he studied under Cimabue, while others think that maybe he had actually traveled to Constantinople himself and learned directly from a Byzantine master.

Little is known of his painting career prior to 1278, when at the age of 23 he is recorded as having painted twelve account book cases. Although Duccio was active from 1268 to about 1311 only approximately 13 of his works survive today. More on Duccio di Buoninsegna

He then calls Lazarus to come out and Lazarus does so, still wrapped in his grave-cloths. Jesus then calls for someone to remove the grave-cloths, and let him go.

Six days before the Passover on which Jesus is crucified, Jesus returns to Bethany and Lazarus attends a supper that Martha, his sister, serves. Jesus and Lazarus together attract the attention of many Jews and the narrator states that the chief priests consider having Lazarus put to death because so many people are believing in Jesus on account of this miracle.

Matthias Stom, (fl. 1615–1649)

Christ before Caiaphas, c. early 1630s

Oil on canvas

Height: 142.2 cm (56 in); Width: 184.7 cm (72.7 in)

Milwaukee Art Museum

Matthias Stom or Matthias Stomer (c. 1600 – after 1652) was a Dutch golden age painter considered one of the masters of Utrecht Caravaggism. Stom spent most of his artistic life in Italy, and 200 of his works have been preserved. It is conjectured that Stom was born at Amersfoort or in the Utrecht area, but many details of his life are vague. An early mention of Stom was around 1630, when he lived in the same location as Paulus Bor had lived a few years earlier. He was a pupil of Gerard van Honthorst in Rome after 1615.

He remained in Rome until 1632, after which he traveled to Naples, where he stayed until 1640. He then moved to Palermo, and delivered paintings for churches in Caccamo and Monreale. He sold three paintings to Antonio Ruffo, duke of Messina. It is speculated that he died in Sicily, or alternatively in Northern Italy, where in 1652 he painted an altar piece for the church in Chiuduno. More on Matthias Stom

The miracle of the raising of Lazarus, leads directly to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus.

According to Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, sometime after the Resurrection of Christ, Lazarus was forced to flee Judea because of rumoured plots on his life and came to Cyprus. There he was appointed by Barnabas and Paul the Apostle as the first bishop of present day Larnaka. He lived there for thirty more years, and on his death was buried there for the second and last time

In the West Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were "put out to sea by the Jews hostile to Christianity in a vessel without sails, oars, or helm, and after a miraculous voyage landed in Provence at a place called today the Saintes-Maries." The family is then said to separate and go in different parts of southeastern Gaul to preach; Lazarus goes to Marseilles. Converting many people to Christianity there, he becomes the first Bishop of Marseille. During the persecution of Domitian, he is imprisoned and beheaded in a cave beneath the prison Saint-Lazare. More on Lazarus

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