The Annunciation 1505 - 1517

Lucas Cranach the Elder created this woodcut, *The Annunciation*, printed on paper in the early 16th century. Observe how Cranach has arranged the scene within a tight, vertical format, employing stark lines that define form and space. The figures of the angel and Mary are rendered with meticulous detail, their expressions conveying solemnity. The composition is structured around a central pillar, dividing the earthly and divine realms. The stark contrast between light and shadow accentuates the emotional tension of the moment. Note the scripture above, in German, "The Virgin Mary should not be invoked" This is an important clue in interpreting the image. The text underscores a key tenet of the Protestant Reformation that rejected the intercession of saints. Cranach's formal choices—the deliberate arrangement of figures, the use of line and text, and the symbolic weight of the pillar—engage the viewer in theological and artistic debates of the Reformation. The print serves not only as a visual depiction of a biblical narrative, but also as a complex argument about faith, authority, and representation.