The Raising of Lazarus

Meersburg Castle, Meersburg, Germany

Like some other medieval images, this one has Lazarus taken up from his tomb, which in this case seems to be just a rectangular hole in the ground. It is also unusual in including the detail from the text that Lazarus' hands had been bound (see below).

The women on either side of Jesus are Martha and Mary. Martha is also shown in the far background greeting Jesus as he approaches the town (see below).

Detail of St. Peter unbinding Lazarus' hands
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Read more about images of Saint Lazarus.

Photographed at the castle by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.


Below: The text of John 11 says Lazarus' hands and feet were bound, a detail usually ignored in other images. This time, the artists has St. Peter unbind the hands at Jesus' command; between them, Martha points her eyes at Jesus and her hands at Peter. This composition emphasizes the mediation of saints and the Church between Christ and man and may be compared to the series of saints who intervene in turn for Dante in Inferno II, 43-126.
Below the double trees (top center), St. Martha greets Jesus and the Apostles, all of whom have haloes.