The Raising of Lazarus, Rembrandt’s Drama of Light
The Raising of Lazarus is a dramatic early masterpiece by Rembrandt, painted around 1630 to 1632, when he was still a young man in Leiden. It shows the moment from the Gospel of John when Christ calls his friend Lazarus back from the dead, four days after his burial. The painting hangs in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The museum records its medium as oil on panel.
Rembrandt stages the miracle like a scene in a theater. Christ stands tall in the gloom of the tomb, his right arm thrown up in command. From the darkness below, the pale figure of Lazarus begins to rise, while the onlookers shrink back in terror and amazement.
The whole drama is carried by light. A single source picks out Christ’s commanding hand, the rising body of Lazarus, and the astonished faces, leaving the rest of the cave in deep shadow.
This is the same gift for sacred drama that fills Rembrandt’s later work. Readers can also see it in his Storm on the Sea of Galilee.
The History of the Raising of Lazarus
Rembrandt painted the Raising of Lazarus around 1630 to 1632, early in his career. It is his only painted version of the subject, though he returned to it in his celebrated etchings. The work shows the young artist already mastering the bold light and shadow that would become his signature.
The painting later crossed the Atlantic and entered the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where it is one of the highlights of the collection. More of the artist can be seen in our overview of Rembrandt’s paintings.
The Commanding Christ
At the center stands Christ, his back partly to us, his right arm raised high into the darkness. He does not touch Lazarus or strain. He simply commands, and his raised hand becomes the source of all the action in the painting.
This is the heart of the miracle as the Gospel tells it. Christ calls out, “Lazarus, come forth,” and the dead man obeys. Rembrandt shows divine power working through a single word and gesture, calm and absolute against the shadowed tomb.
Lazarus Returns
In answer, the figure of Lazarus rises from the tomb at the lower right. Still wrapped in his pale shroud, his face gaunt from death, he lifts himself up as life flows back into him.
Rembrandt paints the moment between death and life with great delicacy. Lazarus is not yet fully alive, his skin still ashen, his movement slow and uncertain. The miracle is caught at its very threshold, the instant when the grave gives up its dead.
The Astonished Witnesses
Around the tomb, the onlookers react with shock. An old man stares, a young woman throws up her hand and cries out, others lean in with wide eyes, hardly able to believe what they see.
Through these faces Rembrandt brings the viewer into the scene. Their amazement is our amazement, their fear our fear. He uses their reactions, lit out of the dark, to measure the sheer wonder of what Christ has done.
A Young Master’s Theater of Light
The power of The Raising of Lazarus lies in its handling of light and dark. Rembrandt floods the key figures with a sudden glow and sinks everything else into shadow, so the miracle seems to flash out of the night.
This dramatic lighting, learned in part from the followers of Caravaggio, was already Rembrandt’s own. In this early work he shows how light itself could carry meaning, falling like grace on the dead man and the hand that raises him.
Conclusion
In The Raising of Lazarus, the young Rembrandt turned one of Christ’s greatest miracles into a breathtaking drama of light and shadow. The commanding hand, the rising dead man, and the terrified witnesses come together in a single charged moment.
Now in Los Angeles, the painting stands as an early sign of Rembrandt’s genius, and as a vivid image of the power of Christ over death itself.
Artwork Information
| Artwork | Artist | Date | Medium | Current Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Raising of Lazarus | Rembrandt | c. 1630 to 1632 | Oil on panel, 96 x 81 cm | Los Angeles County Museum of Art |
Five Facts About Rembrandt’s Raising of Lazarus
- The Raising of Lazarus is an oil on panel by Rembrandt, kept at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
- It was painted around 1630 to 1632, early in Rembrandt’s career in Leiden.
- It shows the miracle from the Gospel of John, when Christ calls Lazarus back from the dead.
- It is Rembrandt’s only painting of the subject, though he also made famous etchings of it.
- The scene is built on dramatic light and shadow, with the key figures glowing out of a dark tomb.
FAQ
What does Rembrandt’s Raising of Lazarus depict?
It shows the moment from the Gospel of John when Christ raises his friend Lazarus from the dead. The Raising of Lazarus captures Lazarus rising from the tomb as the witnesses recoil in awe.
Why is the raising of Lazarus important?
It is one of the greatest miracles of Christ’s ministry and a sign of his power over death. In the Gospel it strengthens the faith of his followers and foreshadows his own resurrection.
How does Rembrandt use light in the painting?
He lights the scene from a single hidden source, picking out Christ’s raised hand, the rising Lazarus and the startled faces, while the rest sinks into shadow. The light heightens the drama of the miracle.
Is this Rembrandt’s only Raising of Lazarus?
It is his only painted version, but he returned to the subject in celebrated etchings, which were widely copied, including by Vincent van Gogh.
When was the painting made?
It was painted around 1630 to 1632, during Rembrandt’s early years.
Where is Rembrandt’s Raising of Lazarus today?
It is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Where can I buy a print of Rembrandt’s Raising of Lazarus?
The shop at jesuschrist.pictures offers museum-quality canvas reproductions of the great Christian paintings, and the collection keeps growing; it is the best place to look for a print of Rembrandt’s Raising of Lazarus.
