Artwork
Wing of Lazarus tritptych with donor and Saint Catharine
Wing of Lazarus tritptych with donor and Saint Catharine is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Aertgen van Leyden. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This panel serves as a wing of a triptych dedicated to the Raising of Lazarus, which constitutes the primary narrative and spiritual focus of the overall work.
This panel serves as a wing of a triptych dedicated to the Raising of Lazarus, which constitutes the primary narrative and spiritual focus of the overall work. Within this specific wing, the iconography combines a biblical scene's peripheral themes with veneration and intercession. It depicts a female donor figure alongside Saint Catharine of Alexandria.
The inclusion of the saint represents the pious patron's appeal for divine intercession, while the presence of Saint Catharine, often associated with wisdom and martyrdom, reinforces the themes of faith and salvation that parallel the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus depicted in the larger triptych.
Technique & Style
Created in 1530 by Aertgen van Leyden, this religious work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel. The painting measures 69.7 cm in height and 28 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the biblical narrative of the Raising of Lazarus while incorporating a donor portrait alongside Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
The piece functions as a wing of a larger triptych structure, demonstrating the artist's approach to integrating specific devotional figures with central scriptural events within a compact vertical format.
History & Provenance
The Wing of Lazarus tritptych with donor and Saint Catharine was painted by Aertgen van Leyden in 1530 as part of a religious altarpiece. It was created for the Rijksmuseum collection and has remained in its holdings since inception. The work measures 69.7 cm in height and 28 cm in width, depicting Saint Catherine alongside donor figures within the larger narrative of the Raising of Lazarus.
This panel forms a component of a triptych attributed to the artist, reflecting early Netherlandish religious painting practices.
Overview
Aertgen van Leyden, a Dutch painter active in Leiden during the early sixteenth century, executed the right-hand wing of a triptych known as the Lazarus series around 1530. The panel, rendered in oil on wood, is now part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection in Amsterdam and illustrates a devotional scene featuring Saint Catherine of Alexandria and a female patron.
Artist & collection
Artist
Aertgen Claesz. van Leyden (c. 1498 – c. 1564), also known as Allaert or Aert van Leyden or Aert Claesz. van Leyden, was a 16th-Century Dutch painter, draughtsman and designer of stained glass. Works by this artist can…
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