Christ and Mary by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Christ and Mary 1520

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lucascranachtheelder

Friedenstein Castle, Gotha, Germany

painting, oil-paint

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portrait

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medieval

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painting

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oil-paint

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jesus-christ

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christianity

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history-painting

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italian-renaissance

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portrait art

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virgin-mary

Dimensions: 52.6 x 34.2 cm

Copyright: Public domain

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted "Christ and Mary" sometime in the 16th century. Cranach was a court painter in Wittenberg, Germany, and a close friend of Martin Luther. His art often reflects the religious and political upheavals of the Protestant Reformation. This small panel is no exception. Cranach presents Christ and Mary with strikingly human features. They're not idealized figures, but rather relatable individuals. The directness and simplicity of the image would have resonated with the reformers' emphasis on personal faith and scripture. The lack of ornamentation is a deliberate break from the elaborate imagery of the Catholic Church. It invites viewers to contemplate their relationship with the divine on a more personal level. As art historians, we study the religious context, artists' biography, and cultural values to better understand the messages conveyed in this small but powerful painting.

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