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Lucas Cranach the Elder

Imagine a super-famous artist who painted kings and a famous reformer, making art that's still amazing today!

Images

Woodcut ('Sauritt des Papsts') after Lucas Cranach the Elder, used by Christian Rödinger the Elder of Magdeburg, of the pope riding a sow, holding steaming excrement

Woodcut ('Sauritt des Papsts') after Lucas Cranach the Elder, used by Christian Rödinger the Elder of Magdeburg, of the pope riding a sow, holding steaming excrement

openverse
Lucas Cranach the Elder. The Ill-matched Couple (c. 1530) — detail
Refectory painting on the theme of Temptation by Lucas Cranach the Elder c.1520 (detail), Lutherhaus, Wittenberg
Lucas Cranach the Elder, Venus and Cupid, 1530, Gemaldegalerie, Berlin
Lucas Cranach, the Elder / vanhempi / den äldre (1472(?)–1553): Portrait of a Young Woman / Nuoren naisen muotokuva / Porträtt av en ung kvinna
File:Virgin and Child Adored by the Infant St. John by Lucas Cranach the Elder - Statens Museum for Kunst - DSC08168.JPG
Johannes Stephan Reuss after Lucas Cranach the Elder
The Virgin suckling the Child - Lucas Cranach the Elder
A Faun and His Family with a Slain Lion, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1526
Lucas Cranach, the Elder / vanhempi / den äldre (1472(?)–1553): Lucretia
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) - Cupid Complaining to Venus (c1530), National Gallery, London, Oct 2015
Lucas Cranach the Elder. The Ill-matched Couple (c. 1530)

Key Facts

Born
Around 1472.
Birthplace
Kronach, Germany.
Known For
Painting portraits of German princes and Protestant Reformation leaders, especially Martin Luther.
Career
Court painter for the Electors of Saxony.
Fun Fact
He was such a good friend of Martin Luther that he painted him many times!

Meet the Master Painter!

Lucas Cranach the Elder was a super talented artist who lived a long, long time ago, around the time when knights and castles were still around! He was born in Germany, and he was so good at painting that he became the official painter for important princes. He painted all sorts of things, from pictures of princes and princesses to stories from the Bible.

His paintings are like windows into the past, showing us how people looked and what they cared about centuries ago. He was like the rockstar artist of his day!

His Amazing Art Studio

Lucas had a huge art studio, like a busy workshop filled with helpers! He was so popular that many of his paintings were made in different versions. Think of it like a popular toy that lots of kids want, so they make many of them!

His son, Lucas Cranach the Younger, was also a great artist and kept making copies of his dad's famous paintings even after Lucas the Elder was gone. This means we have lots of his wonderful art to see today, which is pretty cool!

Friends with a Famous Guy!

One of Lucas's best friends was a very important person named Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a reformer who changed how people thought about religion. Lucas painted many pictures of Martin Luther, so we can see what he looked like!

He even painted religious pictures that showed Martin Luther's new ideas. It's like having a best friend who is famous and you get to draw them all the time. Lucas was a big supporter of his friend's ideas and showed them in his art.

Art That Tells Stories

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted all kinds of subjects. He painted portraits, which are like special photos of people, showing their faces and clothes. He also painted religious scenes, telling stories from the Bible.

Sometimes he painted people from myths and legends, and he even painted people who weren't wearing many clothes! His art was very popular because it was beautiful and told exciting stories. He was considered the most successful artist of his time, which is a huge compliment!

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Based on content from Wikipedia · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0