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Lamp Depicting Sister of Lazarus

Circa 5th Century AD

Description: Important early Christian lamp the concave discus a female bust depicting on of the two sisters of Lazarus (Martha and Mary) described in the Gospel of John (chapter 11). The bust is set in a square frame, symbolic of the tomb where Lazarus was laid. The female bust has a towering hairstyle, recalling female fashion of the late third through early fifth centuries in which a broad braid was folded up over the top of the head. The shoulder is decorated with rosettes and inverted V's.

Length: 5 in. (12.5 cm)

Condition: The body of the lamp completely intact including thumb spur. Strong impression.

Provenance: Formerly a German property.

Background: The scene is one of several variants known from the complete scene depicting the tomb containing the shrouded body of Lazarus flanked on both sides with a similar female bust. The subject is popular on North African lamps and bowls in the early Christian era.

The story of Lazarus is a New Testament equivalent to the stories of deliverance in the Old Testament, such as Daniel, the Three Hebrews, and Susanna. In a liturgical context, both groups appear together in intercessory prayers of the time.

Reference: For the type, see p. 48, #36, in Light from the Age of Augustine.

WebLinks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Bethany
http://bit.ly/47Mre6
http://users.elite.net/ebedyah/PastorsSite/weeklystudies/christianfamily/course2.htm

Price: SOLD

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