The Raising of Lazarus 

Around 1410, the Limbourg brothers made this illumination, "The Raising of Lazarus," with pigments and gold leaf on vellum. Illuminated manuscripts were luxury objects, and the labor involved in their creation was highly specialized. Preparing the vellum required skilled hands to scrape and stretch animal skin to create a smooth surface. Then, the Limbourgs would have used finely ground pigments, mixing them with binders to create vibrant paints. The application of gold leaf, seen in the halos and embellishments, was another specialized skill, requiring the delicate manipulation of thin sheets of gold. The architectural ruin in the background is particularly telling, as it signals a kind of ‘out with the old’ that is characteristic of a period of emerging capitalism. Manuscript illumination like this was inherently tied to wealth and power, commissioned by wealthy patrons, but the Limbourgs’ artistry also speaks to the social and economic conditions of their time. By focusing on the materials, making, and context, we recognize the true value and meaning of this artwork.