Lazarus' opvækkelse. Studie til afvigende relief i slotskirken 1820 - 1823

H.W. Bissen made this drawing, Lazarus' opvækkelse. Studie til afvigende relief i slotskirken, with pencil. In it, we see Christ calling Lazarus back from death, a scene laden with religious and social symbolism. Made in Denmark, the drawing reflects the institutional context of the Church and the Monarchy as the relief was intended for a palace church. The image creates meaning through its classical composition, reminiscent of ancient Roman relief sculpture. This was a common visual code in 19th-century European art to associate religious themes with the authority and grandeur of the past. The artist's choice to depict this specific biblical scene may comment on the social structures of its time. The miracle of resurrection could symbolize hope and transformation. A historian researching this work would explore the religious and political climate of 19th-century Denmark. Understanding the institutional history of the palace church would further contextualize the drawing’s meaning, reminding us of the social and political forces in which art is made.