The Raising of Lazarus 1362

Editor: Here we have Luca di Tommè’s “The Raising of Lazarus,” a tempera painting from 1362. The gold leaf details are what grab my attention, especially contrasted with the muted palette of the figures. What’s striking to me is how staged and symbolic the entire scene feels. What story does this staging tell? Curator: It's a very good question. What this staged composition points to, especially within the context of 14th-century Sienese art, is the theatricality and public role that religious art played. Tommè wasn’t simply illustrating a biblical scene. Consider how the painting, originally an altarpiece, would shape devotional practices, visually teaching the Gospel to a largely illiterate populace. The gold background isn’t just decorative; it’s intended to elevate the scene, remove it from the mundane, and establish its divine significance within the church. Editor: So, the flatness isn’t just an artistic choice; it serves a didactic function? Curator: Precisely! The emotional register on the figures’ faces also needs considering: Why so little emotion? To avoid individualizing the narrative? In order to promote collective religious identity and piety within a society grappling with religious upheaval, an event recorded, as it was displayed for public viewership and affirmation, as an orthodox affirmation? Editor: That makes so much sense! I was focusing on the aesthetic, but missed how the painting operated within its original social environment, and shaped its social and devotional climate. Curator: The Renaissance wasn't just about aesthetics. Thinking about its initial reception reframes the work. This painting served as a political statement, especially within Italian communities as well as an iconic devotional piece. I encourage you to examine other pieces of the Italian Renaissance from a social historical perspective. Editor: Thank you, that has given me a lot to consider, and reframes so much about what this era means for artists, audiences, and patrons!