Disappearing Women

at the Raising of Lazarus

The Raising of Lazarus, John 11:1-45

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. - John 11:5 (RSV)

Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet.

- John 11:32a (RSV)

The “Jonas sarcophagus” in the Vatican Museum, dated around 280, has the earliest scene

of the Raising of Lazarus on a sarcophagus.

Jesus, in the center, points at Lazarus, who is wrapped in a shroud in the doorway of his tomb.

Behind Jesus stands a man wearing a short toga.

Three women also appear to be with Jesus.

Mary fell at his feet.

A figure stands behind Mary, in the traditional place Martha is usually depicted in this scene.

The sculptor appears to have sculpted both women with long skirts.

The sculptor did not depict them with head coverings.

A third woman, today armless, wears a long chiton and a head covering.

Her clothing and her bent-knee posture suggest her lost arms may have been outspread like the Orante’s.

The sculptor depicted three men and three women.

This sarcophagus is dated late third century.

Very few third-century sarcophagi exist.

Other scenes of the raising of Lazarus are dated in the early fourth century--

after Constantine.

In these later scenes, however, two of the women disappear.

On a fourth-century sarcophagus, only Mary remains.

She always wears a head covering.

And, she seems to shrink.

Back to the same scene before Constantine . . .

Art as Text

By Ally Kateusz

In honor of Elizabeth A. Clark