The Raising of Lazarus
ca. 1619
Guercino’s dynamic sketch of 'The Raising of Lazarus' captures the exact moment of miraculous resurrection with explosive Baroque energy. Christ, radiating divine light, points dramatically toward heaven while a bewildered Lazarus sits up from his tomb, looking like he just woke from a very long nap. Surrounding them, apostles and angels react with wide-eyed shock and awe, their swirling drapery adding to the chaotic excitement. Created around 1619, this drawing shows the Italian master working out the intense emotional beats before committing to a final canvas, proving that sometimes the rough sketch is just as powerful as the finished masterpiece.