Luke 16

The Rich Man and Lazarus in Biblical Art

The rich man and Lazarus gives artists a severe parable of wealth, neglect, reversal, and final judgment.

Bible and Art Context

Luke 16 places a suffering poor man at the gate of a rich man who ignores him. Art of the parable sharpens the moral contrast by making poverty, comfort, reversal, and judgment share the same visual world.

Print showing the parable of the rich man and Lazarus

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The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Unknown artist, 1700-1800, Print

The print uses sharp contrast to show the parable's warning: wealth without mercy becomes judgment rather than security.

Source: The Met Open Access

Questions about Rich Man and Lazarus in Art

Where is the rich man and Lazarus in the Bible?

Jesus tells the parable in Luke 16:19-31.

Why is Lazarus often shown at a gate?

The gate shows how close the rich man was to suffering and how deliberately he ignored it.

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