A Silver-Gilt Cross with Christ Crucified, from the "Wittenberg Reliquaries"
Original title: A Silver-Gilt Cross with Christ Crucified, from the "Wittenberg Reliquaries"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike the other sheets associated with the Wittenberg relics, this woodcut by Lucas Cranach the Elder shows a silver cross bearing the crucified Christ, a piece that belonged to the relic treasure. The undated print measures 13 × 9.7 cm and renders the precious liturgical object in clear black lines.
Description
A central vertical shaft is intersected by four transverse arms, their ends bearing round medallions with foliate ornament, an eagle, and a lion. The crucified figure appears with arms outstretched and a face of anguish, his feet resting on a richly decorated pedestal. Background and accessories recede so that attention falls entirely on the cross. The rendering remains black and white throughout, as is usual for a woodcut.
Context
This sheet belongs to a series of woodcuts in which Lucas Cranach the Elder recorded the relics of the Wittenberg Castle Church in the early sixteenth century. That treasure had been assembled by Elector Frederick the Wise. From 1505 Cranach served as court painter in Wittenberg, and in that role he produced numerous prints for the Saxon court.
Impact
Strict symmetry and spare linework give the cross something ceremonial, almost heraldic. With no color or background, the physical presence of the cross stands out plainly and directs the viewer toward a devotional frame of mind.
Technique
As a relief process, woodcut depends on the motif being cut away from a wooden block and then printed. The precise hatching and thin contours attest to Cranach's skill in this technique; they allow an exact reproduction of the ornamented cross.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)