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Raising of Lazarus c. 1610

Abraham Bloemaert 1566-1651

Oil on canvas

 

The subject is taken from the New Testament, John 11. Martha and Mary have asked Jesus to visit the grave of their brother, Lazarus, to bring him back to life.

 

Bloemaert was one of the leading Catholic artists in Utrecht, a Catholic stronghold in the Protestant Northern Netherlands. The size, format and composition of this painting suggest it was an altarpiece, but its original location remains unknown. It was likely to have been made for a clandestine, or hidden, Catholic church. These were tolerated by the city's authorities in the name of religious peace.

Bloemaert's reputation as an accomplished painter and colourist spread far beyond the Dutch Republic. He was much celebrated for his bright lemon yellows, violets and reds, as seen here in the costumes.

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Uploaded on July 24, 2015
Taken on June 30, 2015