A Silver Statuette of an Angel Playing the Harp, from the "Wittenberg Reliquaries"
Original title: A Silver Statuette of an Angel Playing the Harp, from the "Wittenberg Reliquaries"
kurzbeschreibung
Lucas Cranach the Elder made this woodcut in 1509. It reproduces a silver statuette of an angel playing a harp. The sheet belongs to a series documenting the Wittenberg relics and their containers. The appeal of the work lies in its combination of religious imagery and the depiction of a crafted object.
Description
A winged angel sits and plays a harp, framed by an elegant, symmetrical border. The hair falls in soft waves, and the robe shows folds and details that suggest the texture and substance of the fabric. Geometric patterns decorate the base beneath the angel. The layout is clear and focuses on the figure and its action, in the plain style of the woodcut with distinct lines and no colour.
Context
This woodcut was created in 1509 in the context of the Wittenberg relics, a collection of holy objects assembled by Frederick the Wise. Lucas Cranach the Elder produced a series of woodcuts documenting these relics and their containers. The reproduction of a silver statuette points to the wealth and artistic furnishing of the collection. The sheet probably served as a devotional image or as an inventory of the relics.
Impact
The clear lines and reduced forms give the sheet a calm and concentrated effect. The reproduction of the statuette lends it a sculptural quality that hints at the object's three-dimensionality. Symmetrical arrangement and fine details create a solemn, devotional mood.
Technique
The work was made as a woodcut, a relief printing process in which the design is cut into a wooden block and then printed on paper. Clear contours and fine linework characterise Renaissance printmaking. At 13 × 9 cm, the paper format is relatively small, suggesting use as a single sheet or in a book.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)