The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

The parable comes from Luke's Gospel. A rich man dresses in purple and feasts every day, while a poor man named Lazarus, covered in sores, lies at his gate and longs for the crumbs from his table. Even the dogs come and lick his sores. After death Lazarus is carried to Abraham's side and the rich man ends in torment.

The painter follows the usual scheme, the half-naked Lazarus on the threshold with the dogs, the rich man being served at table behind. The museum lists the picture under Jacopo Bassano with a question mark. His own version of the parable, painted around 1550 on a canvas more than two metres wide, is in Cleveland. This one is small, 55 by 43 centimetres, and dated around 1555 to 1560. The letter L is inscribed at the upper right.