Works and art Lucas Cranach the Elder

adam , eve woodcut.



study portrait of margaret of pomerania (1518-1569), ca. 1545, drawing details of sitter s costume meticulously described, intended future reference , facilitate work on large number of commissions in artist s atelier.

the oldest extant picture cranach rest of virgin during flight egypt, of 1504. painting shows remarkable skill , grace, , pine forest in background shows painter familiar mountain scenery of thuringia. there more forest gloom in landscapes of later time.

following huge international success of dürer s prints, other german artists, more italian ones, devoted talents woodcuts , engravings. accounts comparative unproductiveness painters of albrecht dürer , hans holbein younger, , may explain why cranach not skilled @ handling colour, light, , shade. constant attention contour , black , white, engraver, seems have affected sight; , outlined shapes in black rather employing modelling , chiaroscuro.

the largest proportion of cranach s output of portraits, , chiefly him know german reformers , princely adherents looked like. painted not martin luther himself luther s wife, mother , father. depicted leading catholics albert of brandenburg, archbishop elector of mainz, anthony granvelle , duke of alva.

crucifixion of christ, 1503.

a dozen likenesses of frederick iii , brother john dated 1532. characteristic of cranach s prolific output, , proof used large workshop, received payment @ wittenberg in 1533 sixty pairs of portraits of elector , brother on 1 day. inevitably quality of such works variable.

religious subjects

cranach s religious subjects reflect development of protestant reformation, , attitudes religious images. in career, painted several madonnas; first woodcut (1505) represents virgin , 3 saints in prayer before crucifix. later on painted marriage of st. catherine, series of martyrdoms, , scenes passion.

after 1517 illustrated old subjects, gave expression of thoughts of reformers, although portraits of reformers more common paintings of religious scenes. in picture of 1518, dying man offers soul god, body earth, , worldly goods relations , soul rises meet trinity in heaven, , salvation shown depend on faith , not on works.

other works of period deal sin , divine grace. 1 shows adam sitting between john baptist , prophet @ foot of tree. left god produces tables of law, adam , eve partake of forbidden fruit, brazen serpent reared aloft, , punishment supervenes in shape of death , realm of satan. right, conception, crucifixion , resurrection symbolize redemption, , duly impressed on adam john baptist. there 2 examples of composition in galleries of gotha , prague, both of them dated 1529. workshop made altarpiece crucifixion scene in centre in kreuzkirche, hanover.

madonna under fir tree (1510), archdiocesan museum, wrocław.

towards end of life, after luther s initial hostility large public religious images had softened, cranach painted number of lutheran altarpieces of last supper , other subjects, in christ shown in traditional manner, including halo, apostles, without halos, portraits of leading reformers. produced number of violent anti-catholic propaganda prints, in cruder style, directed against papacy , catholic clergy. best known work in vein series of prints pamphlet passional christi und antichristi, scenes passion of christ matched print mocking practices of catholic clergy, christ driving money-changers temple matched pope, or antichrist, signing indulgences on table spread cash (see gallery below).

one of last works altarpiece, completed after death lucas cranach younger in 1555, stadtkirche (city church) @ weimar. iconography original , unusual: christ shown twice, left trampling on death , satan, right crucified, blood flowing lance wound. john baptist points suffering christ, whilst blood-stream falls on head of portrait of cranach, , luther reads book words, blood of christ cleanseth sin.

mythological scenes

cranach equally successful in naive mythological scenes feature @ least 1 slim female figure, naked transparent drape or large hat.

these in narrow upright formats; examples several of venus, alone or cupid, has stolen honeycomb, , complains venus has been stung bee (weimar, 1530; berlin, 1534). other such subjects diana apollo, shooting bow, , hercules sitting @ spinning-wheel mocked omphale , maids. similar approach taken biblical subjects of salome , adam , eve.

these subjects produced in career, when show italian influences including of jacopo de barberi, @ court of saxony period 1505. become rare until after death of frederick wise. later nudes in distinctive style abandons italian influence revival of late gothic style, small heads, narrow shoulders, high breasts , waists. poses become more frankly seductive , exhibitionist.

humour , pathos combined @ times in pictures such jealousy (augsburg, 1527; vienna, 1530), women , children huddled groups watch strife of men wildly fighting around them. lost canvas of 1545 said show hares catching , roasting hunters. in 1546, possibly under italian influence, cranach composed fons juventutis ( fountain of youth ), executed son, picture in older women seen entering renaissance fountain, , exiting transformed youthful beauties.

paintings