Roman bowl depicting Jesus and the Raising of Lazarus

R100

£2,500.00

Sold

A terra sigillata chiara redware pottery bowl with applique decoration depicting the raising of Lazarus by Jesus.

Lazarus is shown as a figure wrapped in a shroud within a pedestal tomb and Jesus is depicted as the Good Shepherd carrying a staff and herding a ram. To the other side is a bearded figure with his hand raised in praise.

Early depictions of Jesus are not common though the story of the raising of Lazarus was popular in Roman funerary art, most notably on the wall frescoes in the catacombs in Rome due to the obvious importance of the message of resurrection.

Culture
Roman, North African colonies (around modern Tunisia), 4th Century AD

Condition
Quite crudely repaired from three pieces with some associated cracks as seen in the photographs. The repairs have been made using beeswax which has caused some staining to the pottery

Size
4 x 17.1 cms

Provenance
Ex. deceased estate, Paris, France; acquired mid to late 20th Century

For a similar bowl in The Walters Art Musem, USA, please see: https://art.thewalters.org/detail/11491/bowl-with-raising-of-lazarus/

For a Roman fresco depicting the Raising of Lazarus by the Good Shepherd, please see: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/the-raising-of-lazarus-and-the-good-shepherd-fresco-news-photo/157409566

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