Depiction of Christ in Protest Ant Art

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Ilze Krisane



AlbrectAlbrect DDüürerrer

(1471(1471²²1528)1528)

Dürer's success as an artistgave him entry into a highlevel of society in Nuremberg.He was named a member ofthe city's Great Council, andassociated with educated andcultured members of thegentry. He studied languages,and was able to read Latin.

Dürer was employed by thehumanist Emperor MaximilianI because of humanistic

qualities as well as for histechnical skill.

Dürer made two trips to Italy,including a special journey toBologna (in 1507) to learn the´secretsµ of the art ofperspective.

AlbrechtDürer Man of Sorrows, frontispiece to Large Woodcut Passion(Nuremberg: 1511). The Complete Woodcuts of AlbrectDürer, edited by Willi Kurth (NewY ork:Dover

Publications, 1963), 214.



In Italy he was befriendedby Giovanni Bellini, andwas accorded the honors ofa great artist. He also cameinto contact with Italian

Renaissance art theory, inparticular the ideas ofAlberti and Leonardo, andthrough them began to seethe theory of art as a´scientificµ endeavor.

AlbrechtDürerfrontispiece to the Engraved Passion (Nuremberg, 1512).The Complete Engravings, Etchings and Drypoints of Albrecht Dürer, edited by Walter L. Strauss (NewY ork:

Dover Publications, 1973), 113.



Dürer's Engraved Passionwas created between 1507 and1513.

It includes no text; it wasintended as a piece of

sacred art on its own terms,directed at connoisseurs. Itstresses the spiritual ratherthan the physical sufferingof Christ, and never losessight of his divine status,

expressed in humandignity.

AlbrechtDürerCrucifixion from the Engraved Passion(1511. Victoria and Albert Museum, London)



The Small Woodcut Passionwas begun sometime in 1508or 1509, completed in 1510,and published in 1511.

It consists of thirty-seven

woodcuts in small format.The series includes theentire history of salvation,beginning with the Fall andconcluding with the Last Judgment, but it centers on

Christ's passion.

AlbrechtDürerCrucifixion from the Small Passion (1511)



T

he Large Passion (i.e., large in format or size of the printedsheets) was begun earlier (1496²97) but only finished at

about the same time as themore thematically extensiveSmall Passion.

Some of the woodcuts weresold as single sheets apart fromthe published work.

While the Small Passionemphasized the more humanside of Christ¶s, the LargePassion is less aimed atproducing the affect ofcompassion. It representsrather another side of thetheology of the cross: the epicbattle between good and evil.

AlbrechtDürerCrucifixion from the Large Passion,(1498. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich)



LukasLukas CranachCranach

(1472(1472²²15531553))

He was called ´der Ältere,µ´the Elder,µ to distinguish himfrom his artist son of the samename.

Cranach supervised theprinting of Luther'spropaganda booklets, designedwoodcuts for the his Germanversion of the NewTestament,and painted Protestant princesand reformers.

Most importantly, he alsoworked with Luther and underhis influence to create a newstyle and subject matter to fitthe new reformed approach tofaith.

Lukas Cranach the ElderCrucifixion(ca. 1503. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)



In the course of the years1536²39, the painter LukasCranach completed severalversions of a painting of thecrucified Christ with the

converted centurion, wherethe face of the centurionbears a similarity toportraits of the Elector ofSaxony, Cranach's patron.

Lukas Cranach the ElderThe Crucified Christ with the Converted Centurion(1538; Yale University Art Gallery, NewHaven,Connecticut)



In this painting the viewersare directed not so much toa contemplation of Christ

himself as to anidentification with the

onlookers and with theiremotions.

Lukas Cranach the ElderCrucifixion(1503. Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany)



Consists of a series

of panel shutters that can beopened or closed to reveal

several differentcombinations of pictures.

It contains two

representations of thecrucifixion: a large doublepanel, and a single panel in a

series with accompanyingtexts.

In the altarpiece's secondopen state we see a triptychof the agony in the garden(left), the crucifixion (largecenter panels), and theresurrection (right). Thebottom third of the left andright panels is occupied byportraits of the patrons.

Beneath, the predella of thealtarpiece shows the Last

Supper.

Lukas Cranach the ElderCrucifixion(1539. Church of St. Wolfgang, Schneeberg)



³The Justification of

the Sinner´// ³The Law and

the Gospel´

Lukas Cranach the ElderThe Law and the Gospel(Schloss Friedenstein Museum,Gotha, Germany)

Lukas Cranach the ElderThe Law and the Gospel(1539. Church of St. Wolfgang,

Schneeberg)



John the Baptist stands closest tothe cross, and looks at the other

two. With his left hand he pointsdownward toward the Lamb ofGod, with his right upward to Jesus on the cross.

Next to the Baptist is a full-length portrait of Cranach the

Elder, who had died in Weimartwo years

earlier. He looks toward theviewer. The blood that spurtsfrom Christ's side lands directlyon his head.

Next to Cranach is a portrait ofLuther. He holds a Bible, opentoward the viewer, and points toits pages.

Lukas Cranach the YoungerWeimar Altarpiece(Stadtkirche, Weimar)



The main front and sidepanels of the altarpiecedepict scenes of church life:the Last Supper (Jesus withthe apostles) in the center

panel.Below,immediately abovethe altar, is a portrayal ofLuther preaching to thecongregation atWittenberg.

Lukas Cranach the ElderWittenberg Altarpiece: The Last Supper andScenes from the Life of Martin Luther (Marienkirche, Wittenberg)



The cross stands on the floorand casts a shadow, as thoughphysically present; but itappears to be on the floor, notrooted in it. The blood runningdown the cross stops abruptlyat its foot, and does notcontinue onto the floor.

The cross is portrayed as

standing between Luther, whois preaching, and the peoplelistening to him. He points tothe cross with one hand, andrests his other on the Bible onthe pulpit.

The passion is the message,

and it is preached in such away as to become a livingimage.

Lukas Cranach the Elder

Wittenberg Altarpiece. Detail: predella: Sermonof Martin Luther (Marienkirche,Wittenberg)



It portrays the reformer in apulpit in the center,pointing with his righthand to a large crucifix³orrather, to the message ofthe cross³mounted on thealtar.

Luther's left hand gesturesdownward³the same

gesture used by Christ inmany paintings of the Last Judgment³toward a

fuming and flaming mouthof hell that gapes toswallow up the Pope andRoman clergy.

Lukas Cranach the Youngerwoodcut Last Supper of the Protestants and Fallinto Hell of the Catholics.(Photo: Joerg P. Anders. Kupferstichkabinett,Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin)

Depiction of Christ in Protest Ant Art

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