Artwork
Lazarus and the Rich Man
Lazarus and the Rich Man is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Jacopo Bassano. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a moral commentary on wealth, compassion, and the reversal of fortunes promised in the Gospel narrative.
The painting shows a wealthy man seated at a table while a destitute figure named Lazarus begs at his gate, a scene drawn from the biblical parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16). Jacopo Bassano rendered the encounter in oil on canvas in 1550, emphasizing the stark contrast between opulence and poverty. The rich man’s luxurious garments and indifferent expression symbolize worldly excess, whereas Lazarus, depicted as a humble beggar, embodies suffering and divine favor.
The work functions as a moral commentary on wealth, compassion, and the reversal of fortunes promised in the Gospel narrative.
Technique & Style
Jacopo Bassano's Lazarus and the Rich Man, created in 1550, is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 146 cm in height and 221 cm in width. Classified as a religious painting, the piece employs the medium of oil to depict the biblical narrative of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
The canvas support and oil medium are characteristic of the artist's approach to large-scale religious subjects during this period in Italy.
History & Provenance
Jacopo Bassano created the oil painting Lazarus and the Rich Man in 1550. The work was executed on canvas and measures 146 cm in height by 221 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1939.68. The painting was made in Italy and depicts the religious subject of the Rich man and Lazarus.
Context
Jacopo Bassano painted Lazarus and the Rich Man in 1550, an oil on canvas work measuring 146 cm by 221 cm, now in the Cleveland Museum of Art. The composition belongs to the religious genre, depicting the biblical parable of the rich man and Lazarus, a subject that allowed Bassano to explore moral themes within a Venetian naturalistic style. As part of his broader output of biblical scenes, the painting reflects the artist’s engagement with Counter‑Reformation concerns and his inheritance of Titian’s coloristic tradition.
Its presence in a modern museum collection highlights its continued relevance for scholarship on 16th‑century Italian religious art.
Legacy
The painting Lazarus and the Rich Man, executed by Jacopo Bassano in 1550 as an oil on canvas, is classified as a religious work and is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. Its inclusion in the museum's holdings and its designation as religious art have contributed to scholarly recognition of the piece within the tradition of Counter‑Reformation painting. The work's dimensions of 146 cm by 221 cm and its provenance in Italy underscore its historical context, while its presence in a major public collection ensures ongoing public and academic attention to Bassano's treatment of the biblical narrative.
Overview
Jacopo Bassano's Lazarus and the Rich Man, an oil painting from approximately 1550, depicts a biblical parable. This work showcases the artist's distinctive style through its dramatic composition and handling of light. It is currently housed in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a significant example of 16th-century Venetian painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo Bassano was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school. He was born and died in Bassano del Grappa, and took the village as his surname. Having trained in the workshop of his father, Francesco the…
