The Raising of Lazarus

The Master of the Legend of the Magdalene painted this Raising of Lazarus around 1517 for the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. The miracle of Lazarus's resurrection was theologically linked to the Magdalene legend, as Lazarus was traditionally identified as her brother. His refined, somewhat conservative style reflects the high standards of Brussels panel painting for church and aristocratic commissions. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique.

The panel presents the miracle scene with the detailed narrative approach of the Brussels workshop, with careful attention to the crowd's reactions and the architectural setting in the characteristic Brabantine manner.