Lucas Cranach the Old one

Lucas Müller known as Lucas Cranach Old the is a painter and engraver of the German Renaissance, born with Kronach in High-Franconie in 1472 and deceased with Weimar on October 16th 1553. Its patronym derives that from its birthplace. He is the father of Lucas Cranach the Young person (1515-1586).

Its life

Between 1501 and 1504, it travels in the valley of the the Danube until Vienna, where it attends the humanistic mediums then. It paints during this period of the tables of religious inspiration ( Saint-Jerome - 1502, Crucifixion - 1503, Rest during the escape in Egypt - 1504 ) as well as a portrait, the “Portrait of Dr. Cuspinian and his wife” - a humanistic Viennese - in 1504. At that time, its style, near to that of Albrecht To last, Albrecht Altdorfer and the École of the Danube (from which it appears as one of the creators) is characterized by the prevalence of the agitated landscapes, with the colors records, filled up of a quantity of details and symbols, of a exarcerbé lyricism, quasi surrealist landscapes where the psychological tension is palpable, vital spaces of which form part with harmony of the elaborate characters and with the enigmatic expression.

It is established with Wittenberg in 1505 and becomes painter of the voter of Saxony Frederic the Wise one, it is anobli in 1509. Starting from this date, its art is directed then towards a style approaching the Maniérisme: the forms lengthen, become more flexible, the characters take importance compared to the landscape become simple decoration and their various installations are worked out and codified, the refined preparing. With Wittenberg, during the same period, it becomes acquainted with Martin Luther with which it binds friendship (and of which it will carry out many portraits). Acquired with the ideas Lutherans, Cranach will take part consequently in the creation of the Protestant Iconographie, representing expensive topics in Réforme, drawn from the Old Testament and New Testament, introducing sometimes quotations of the Bible. It also paints many portraits and religious scenes which ensure to him the celebrity in all Europe, and starting from 1525, intensifies its activity with the assistance of its sons, Hans and Lucas, and probably of an important workshop.

Owner of a pharmacy and a printing works, it is elected with three resumptions Bourgmestre of Wittenberg and preserved his load of painter of the court under the voters Jean-Constant and Jean-Frederic, court for which it painted innumerable naked biblical and mythological ones with the allusive erotism.

Its Jean-Frederic guard having been captured after the battles of Mühlberg, Cranach accompanies his captivity by 1550 with 1552 before returning to Weimar, new electoral residence, to die there the following year, after having produced more than 400 works. After his death, his/her son Lucas Cranach continues the activity of his father and his workshop.

Works

1503 the crucifixion , painting, old art gallery of Munich.
1504 rest of the Holy Family, oil on wood, 70,7 X 53 cm. Berlin, Staatliche Museen, Gemäldegalerie.
1526 Adam and Eve 117 X 80,5 cm
1538 the crucifixion , painting, Art Institute off Chicago.
the last judgment , Paris, Museum of Louvre
the martyrdom of Holy Catherine
the baptism

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