On loan for the Musée International de la Réforme - Geneva
Monogrammed with the serpent and dated 1530
Provenance:
Nebel Collection, Frankfurt,
Mulert Collection, Berlin
Private...
read moreOn loan for the Musée International de la Réforme - Geneva
Monogrammed with the serpent and dated 1530
Provenance:
Nebel Collection, Frankfurt,
Mulert Collection, Berlin
Private Collection
The effigies of Luther painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder, who was his appointed portrait painter as well as his close friend, have become emblematic portrayals of the Reformation throughout the ages. From a historical point of view, Martin Luther (1483-1546) can be considered as one of the major figures of the 16th century. The consequences of his acts and stands would change Europe’s destiny as well as the Church’s place in society. An Augustinian monk and doctor in theology at the University of Wittenberg, he rose up against the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences by promulgating his famous “95 Theses” in 1517. With a desire to purify the Catholic Church of its erring ways, Martin Luther found himself in direct opposition to the pope and the emperor and was ultimately excommunicated in 1521. Banned from the Habsburg Empire, Luther nevertheless managed to win the protection of the Prince Elector of Saxony and was able to continue his writing. It was at the court of this great prince that the reformer met Cranach and became his friend[1].
This portrait of the theologian exudes an undeniable presence. Here, the sparing use of tones and the composition’s simplicity allow Cranach to create an image of great purity and sobriety. The figure is portrayed in a head and shoulders portrait against a frosty blue background, dressed in a robe and a black doctoral cap. The painter depicts the lines of Luther's face with delicacy and precision, creating a contrast between his pale face and his dark clothing. The character is presented for what he is: the great reformer of the Church. Calm and serene, despite the storm raging in Europe, his pensive gaze draws the viewer in. This tranquillity emerging from the portrait seems to be in perfect harmony with the inscription in Latin from the Old Testament, featured above the figure’s head: “IN SILENCIO ET SPE ERIT FORTITVDO VESTRA", “your strength will lie in silence and hope”.
Our painting, signed with a winged serpent, bears the date “1530”. Painter for the Court of Saxony, Cranach and his studio actively participated in the creation of a Protestant iconography through painting as well as engraving. The numerous portraits of Luther which the artist painted at the time were often for the princes and towns who supported the Reformation. The purpose of paintings such as this one was to humanise this new religion and give the movement the image of a federator at a time when wars of religion were starting up all over Europe. As the portraitist of the great theologian, Cranach painted Martin Luther throughout his lifetime. For instance, there is the portrait in the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin[2] or the one in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence which both portray Luther in the same manner.
A portrait painter of the greatest figures of his century, Cranach the Elder once again proves his immense talent here. Initiating a style that would influence numerous artists, Lucas Cranach raises Luther to the rank of a true icon of the Reformation in this painting.
Kronach 1472 – Weimar 1553
Lucas Cranach was one of the pillars of artistic creation in the north-east of Germany during the first half of the 16th century. With Hans Holbein the Younger and...
read moreKronach 1472 – Weimar 1553
Lucas Cranach was one of the pillars of artistic creation in the north-east of Germany during the first half of the 16th century. With Hans Holbein the Younger and Albrecht Dürer, he is considered to be one of the main representatives of the German Renaissance.
Both a painter and engraver, and a friend of Martin Luther and numerous humanists, he successfully painted religious and mythological scenes, portraits and female nudes which he often identified with Lucretia or Venus. Until 1498, he studied with his father, Hans, who influenced the beginning of his career. He then travelled to Vienna, where it seems he settled in 1500.
The first known works of the artist date from this period; they are religious scenes whose vivid and expressive colours show proof of his creative power. In 1505, he became court painter for the Electors of Saxony. He decorated their castles, painted their portraits and those of their wives, executed altarpieces and also painted profane subjects. In 1508, Elector Frederick of Saxony granted Cranach his coat of arms with a winged serpent, which became the artist’s signature. His sons, Hans and Lucas the Younger, were among his assistants. Loyally imitating his style, they played a major role in the works produced by his studio.
Apart from a visit to the Netherlands in 1508, the master resided almost uninterruptedly in Wittenberg. As an important citizen, he sat on the town’s assembly in 1519 and acted as burgomaster in 1537 and 1540. Despite the numerous influences that marked his era, his work remained faithful to the gothic traditions.
