The raising of Lazarus: small plate.

During his lifetime, Rembrandt's extraordinary skills as a printmaker were the main source of his international fame. Unlike his oil paintings, prints travelled light and were relatively cheap. For this reason, they soon became very popular with collectors not only within, but also beyond the borders of the Netherlands, and it also explains why, three centuries later, they were affordable for Wellington collector and philanthropist Sir John Ilott, who presented 37 Rembrandt prints to the National Art Gallery between 1952 and 1969.

The Raising of Lazarus is a subject that repeatedly inspired Rembrandt, seen in his early oil painting (c. 1630-32; Los Angeles Country Museum of Art) as well as in two etchings, the more intricate and realist 'Large Plate' of 1632 and this more economical 'Small Plate' of ten years later. It depicts Christ standing with others to the left of the cave/tomb where Lazarus was raised from death, and his figure miraculously emerging. Perhaps less idealistically than the earlier work, it shows Christ as more of a healer than an enchanter. Indeed, art writer Sister Wendy Beckett claims that Jesus is portrayed here as a weary magician rather than a triumphant saviour.

Te Papa's impression is from the first of two states, made by Rembrandt himself and before the addition (possibly by Claude-Henri Watelet) of small diagonal lines of drypoint on Lazarus’s forehead.

 

References:  New Hollstein Dutch 206, 1st of 2 states; Hollstein Dutch 72, 1st of 2 states.

 

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raising_of_Lazarus_(Rembrandt)

 

Dr Mark Stocker    Curator, Historical International Art     August 2017