Paul from Christ, the Apostles and St. Paul (Woodcut)
Original title: Paul from Christ, the Apostles and St. Paul
kurzbeschreibung
Lucas Cranach the Elder presents Saint Paul as an elderly man with a full beard and a halo. A book and a staff rest in his hands, while stylised plants enliven the background. The sheet belongs to a series on Christ and the Apostles, though the year of its making is not recorded.
Description
An old man with a long beard and a halo above his head stands before us. He wears a long-sleeved robe, his feet are bare; the right hand grips a book, the left a tall staff. At the edges, stylised plants and fruits push into the frame. The arrangement is symmetrical, the figure placed at the middle. Without colour or shading, the surface stays evenly bright; the woodcut's lines bring out contours and textures.
Context
Cranach the Elder produced many religious woodcuts, often in the service of the Reformation. The series 'Christ, the Apostles and St. Paul' was meant to spread Reformation ideas through images. No exact date survives, but the work is thought to have been made in the first half of the 16th century. Cranach worked as court painter in Wittenberg and was close to Martin Luther.
Impact
A particular balance radiates from the saint's calm stance; the symmetrical layout strengthens this impression and lends the figure dignity. Clear lines give the print graphic sharpness that underscores Paul's spiritual authority. The viewer's gaze is caught by the upright posture and the serene expression.
Technique
The sheet was made as a woodcut, a relief process in which the design is cut into a block of wood and afterwards printed onto paper. Fine lines and hatching create contours and textures characteristic of Renaissance printmaking. The format measures 31 × 18.5 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)