Dives and Lazarus

At the time this sculpted depiction of Dives and Lazarus was made, the nearby city of Toulouse was expanding commercially. The parable of the rich man and the poor man (Luke 16:19-31) spoke to the concerns of a money economy. At the top right, Dives, the rich man, feasts. To his left, the poor man, Lazarus, lies dying. Above Lazarus is an angel who carries his soul to heaven. Further to the left, Lazarus’s soul lies in the lap of Abraham. This is an image of heavenly bliss. By contrast, under the left-hand arch below Abraham, devils are welcoming the soul of Dives into Hell. The monks of Moissac, like the townspeople of Toulouse, by 1100 were attuned to moneymaking and well aware of both its pleasures and dangers. (South Portal, Church of St. Pierre, Moissac, France / Bridgeman Images.)