Andrew from the Martyrdom of the Twelve Apostles 1472 - 1553

Lucas Cranach the Elder made this woodcut print, Andrew from the Martyrdom of the Twelve Apostles, sometime in the early 16th century. This image, with its dramatic depiction of Saint Andrew's crucifixion, speaks to the religious and political turmoil of the Reformation in Germany. The level of detail Cranach achieves is impressive, from the texture of the crowds’ clothing, to the landscape in the background. It’s easy to see why Cranach was a favorite artist of Martin Luther: The artist uses a popular medium to depict violence against the figure of the saint. Note the coats of arms that are included, these signal the Holy Roman Empire, which was headed by the Catholic Church at the time. The artist made many paintings for the church, but broke away from it. Cranach here uses a scene from the bible to comment on the artist's own time. The image suggests some ambivalence about social hierarchies. Historians of art can consult a variety of sources to understand the significance of works like this, from religious texts, social histories, the artist's biography, and records of artistic patronage. Only then can the meaning of an artwork truly be understood.