The Raising of Lazarus (Jan Lievens)
# The Raising of Lazarus (Jan Lievens)

The Raising of Lazarus is a 1631 painting by Dutch artist Jan Lievens. The painting is a portrayal of Jesus Christ raising Lazarus of Bethany from the dead.

## History

Lievens painted The Raising of Lazarus in 1631. 1630-1632 he had a contest with the painter Rembrandt to produce the best composition depicting "The Raising of Lazarus". The Lievens painting is done primarily in shades of gray and it is a night scene. Lievens also produced etchings which were based on the painting.

In 1871 the painting was included in the Old Masters Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. In 1884 the painting and its etching were sold for 12 Guineas. In 1903 the painting was donated to the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery by Henry Willett.

## Description

The Raising of Lazarus is a 1631 oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch artist Jan Lievens. Its dimensions are 107 cm (42 in) × 114.3 cm (45.0 in) and it was donated to the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. In the painting Lievens portrays the fabrics as shimmering with gold and brown hues. The subject matter of the painting is Lazarus rising from his tomb like a ghost figure. Jesus Christ stands on a raised surface with his hands clasped. He looks skyward into a beam of light. In the grave beneath Christ, there are two hands (Lazarus) reaching out of a grave. A nun at the edge of the grave has a stunned look on her face. There are other people observing the scene, including a black woman who is holding a large white shroud.

## Reception

Writing for The New York Times in 2008, art critic Ken Johnson said the painting was, "An unusually austere composition, it has a simplicity and openness that enhance its mystery." He also stated that Rembrandt enjoyed the painting so much that he acquired it and hung it in his own home. When Rembrandt fell on hard times in later in his life he sold Jan Lievens' version of The Raising of Lazarus.

Writing for Smithsonian magazine, Matthew Gurewitsch describes the painting as, "a gothic scene in a somber palette and with the utmost restraint" He goes on to say that Lievens does not portray Jesus with grand gestures and he portrays Lazarus only as two hands reaching out of a tomb. He uses pale light to permeate the darkness and express "intimations of spirituality".

An image of the painting appears in the 2022 Harry Styles film My Policeman. The two main characters visit the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery and they admire the painting with the character of Marion calling the painting "astonishing".

