Arkivism
Fragment of a Double Capital: Mary and Martha at the Raising of Lazarus
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Fragment of a Double Capital: Mary and Martha at the Raising of Lazarus

1145–1165 · quartz sandstone with traces of polychromy

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The front face of this capital fragment presents the two mourning women identified by the inscription above: MARIA ET MARTA. On the left face appears the body of Lazarus in a sarcophagus bearing Christ's words: VENI FORAS ("[Lazarus], come forth" [John 11:43]). The Raising of Lazarus is one of the most popular themes in Christian art. This miracle represents Christ's power over death and thus prefigures the Resurrection. It also speaks of the hope of resurrection for all individuals, a common theme in early Christian catacombs and sarcophagi. The subject is less prevalent in sculpture of the Romanesque period, though quite popular in other media.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineFragment of a Double Capital: Mary and Martha at the Raising of Lazarus, 1145–1165. Southwest France, Ariège, region of Foix, mid-12th century. Quartz sandstone with traces of polychromy; overall: 30.2 x 22.9 x 17.2 cm (11 7/8 x 9 x 6 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1968.35

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