Lucas Cranach and Albrecht Dürer: Christian Artists
Today we commemorate Lucas Cranach and Albrecht Dürer, artists. In honor of this day and their memory, here is a presentation, and explanation of, what I regard to be the finest example of the uniquely Lutheran art that resulted from the great Gospel rediscovery in the Sixteenth Century, and appropriately, what a magnificent painting to meditate on and ponder as we move into Holy Week. Enjoy, and God bless!
Lucas Cranach the Younger finished the painting in 1555, and even after 450 years, there is a powerful luminous warmth to it that draws you in, causing you to ponder and meditate on the image it presents. The painting still stands where it was originally placed, over the altar of the St. Peter and Paul Church in Weimar, Germany. The placement of this painting over the altar is purposeful, for the Lutheran Reformation, far from casting aside the Lord’s Supper as central to the worship of the Church, restored it to its proper place as the gift from Christ that it is. Communicants coming forward to receive the Supper, would have this painting before them, so large there was no chance of missing its every detail, details which proclaim and declare the peace, comfort, joy and power of the good news of Jesus Christ, and the love of God in Christ for all humanity.
“The Weimar Altarpiece is a stunning achievement of Cranach the Younger. The center panel is dominated by Christ on the cross, by the risen Christ triumphing over death and the devil and by the group of people proclaiming the Gospel, with Lucas Cranach the Elder himself standing out in the foreground as the redeemed sinner. On the inner side panels, which carry the portraits of Duke John Frederick and his family in the heavy, dark splendor of realistic interior, the mellow chromatic radiance of the center panel is sumptuously heightened. In contrast with the rich, subdued colors of the side panels, the center one is as radiant as a sunny day. The most delicate parts of the painting are pervaded by light; it is omnipresent, like a theological conviction.” (Schade 1980, 93).
What is the message of this painting? The heart of the Lutheran Reformation: the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ, by grace alone, apart from any works; indeed, this is the very heart of the Christian faith itself.
This is how Martin Luther expresses it in the Smalcald Articles, one of the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord:
“The first and chief article is this, that Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, “was put to death for our trespasses and raised again for our justification” (Rom 4:25). He alone is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). “God has laid upon him the iniquities of us all” (Isa.53:6). Moreover, “all have sinned,” and “they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, by his blood” (Rom. 3:23-25).
In the center background, Moses is shown teaching the ten commandments to the Old Testament prophets. They are standing on a circle of barren path, along with a figure representative of all human beings who are under the law’s condemnation. Man is shown here being chased into the fires of hell by death (pictured as a skeleton holding a spear) and the devil (in the form of a monster wielding a club). The prophets taught, as did Moses, “Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them” (Deut. 27:26 ESV, compare Jer. 11:13). Yet it’s not only our actual sins that condemn us, but also the prior sin that we inherit from our parents (original sin). To quote the Smalcald Articles once again,
“Here we must confess what St Paul says in Rom. 5:12, namely, that sin had its origin in one man, Adam, through whose disobedience all men were made sinners and became subject to death and the devil. … The fruits of this sin are all the subsequent evil deeds which are forbidden in the Ten Commandments …”
The good news is that God in mercy and compassion saves all who trust in His Son. When the people of Israel in the wilderness sinned and were bitten by snakes, God provided a way of escape that prefigured His Son’s death on a cross. All the Israelites had to do to be saved was look at the snake mounted on a pole (Num. 21:4-9). In Cranach’s painting, this is shown in the background on the painting’s right.
To the immediate left of the snake on the pole, is the angel announcing to the shepherds the birth of the one who defeated death, hell and satan for us, for our salvation. The banner the angel is holding, though perhaps impossible to see in this photo, or maybe, due to its relative small size in the painting, would always have the words, “Glory to God in the highest” on it, thus reminding the viewer of the words of Luke 2:14.
The Weimar Altar painting has three human witnesses to the reality of what the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ means: John the Baptist, Lucas Cranach, and Martin Luther. Together they are each proclaiming Christ to us. John the Baptist is telling Lucas Cranach that the blood pouring out on him is from the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Cranach looks directly at you and effectively confessing, “This is what I believe, teach and confess.” Martin Luther is showing preaching the Word of God, pointing to powerful passages from that Word that declare the truths the painting pictures.
Notice that Luther’s feet and hands are positioned like those of Moses. His message, however, is one of gospel, not law. On his face is a look of steadfastness and serene confidence. He stands on lush grass in which flowers grow, unlike the bare, stony ground on which Moses stands.
Dominating the painting is Christ on a cross. The crucified Christ has the cold shadow of death across his face It was a real death, as horrible as is any death, but even more so since this was not a mere man suffering and dying, but the very Son of God. The amazing message of the Gospel is that by his death, Christ takes away the world’s sin. His outstretched arms reminds us that He is the world’s Saviour.
The message written in Latin on the transparent banner held by the lamb in the center foreground declares that Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). This is the Latin inscription on the banner the lamb is holding. This was John the Baptist’s message, and John is shown standing underneath the crucified Christ on His left side.
With right hand pointing up at Christ on the cross and left hand pointing at the lamb, John is shown proclaiming the meaning of Jesus’ death to Lucas Cranach, the painter. Cranach represents all who believe. A stream of blood from Christ’s pierced side pours out on to his head. It is as the first verse on Luther’s Bible says, “The blood of Jesus Christ purifies us from all sin” (1 Jn 1:7). Therefore like Luther, Cranach also stands in peace and confidence, gazing out at the viewer of the painting. Was this merely a son’s tribute to his father, when Lucas Cranach the Younger painted the Elder into the painting? Surely that, but much more: it is a bold confession of the Reformation Gospel that his father became a champion and advocate for, and an invitation to the viewer also to receive the forgiveness of sins that comes through the purifying, life-giving blood of Jesus.
There is another verse on the open Bible, to which Luther’s finger points directly. It reads, “Therefore let us approach the seat of grace with joyousness, so that we may receive mercy within and find grace in the time when help is needed” (Heb. 4:16). Such approach is possible because Jesus is our victorious high priest. Having paid for sin, He has defeated death and the devil and now lives to intercede for us.
Jesus is shown on the painting’s right as the risen One. He is bright, glowing with a radiant color, youthful and full of life. Notice that the fires of hell are coming from the base of the same mountain into which is carved the tomb from which the Risen Christ has emerged in the painting. There is powerful symbolism in that alone. Christ has suffered all that we deserve: sin, death and hell, as our substitute, taking our place.
He stands on death and the devil, with the staff of his victory flag pushed in the devil’s throat. His gold-edged cloak flows toward the lamb’s banner and the cross.
As a result it’s actually both banner and cloak that bear the words, in Latin, “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.
“Believe in God; believe also in me,” the Lord says (Jn 14:1). From this painting His eyes meet ours, inviting us to believe in Him. The other set of eyes that meet ours belong to Cranach, the painter. His feet face in the direction of Christ. But he has turned from his adoration of Christ to look at us also, inviting us to believe and be saved along with him. Article 4 of the Augsburg Confession expresses the heart of Lutheran teaching this way:
“We receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us.”
Where did Lucas Cranach the Younger paint himself into the scene? We se his face nowhere, which is somewhat unusual, for he often appears in his father’s altar pieces and his own, off to the side, or playing the part of a servant waiting on the disciples at the Last Supper. But here, in this painting, he did not include himself, at least not as visibly as in other paintings. But he is there, perhaps in one of the most powerful ways he possibly could be.
Notice the cross itself, below the nail-pierced feet of Christ. Look where that blood is flowing. It is running down on to the date, 1555, and down to Lucas Cranach the Younger’s symbol, the flying dragon, which he has assumed from his father, who many years before had been given the right to use this mark on his works. This is a humble way of indicating that he, too, is covered by the blood Christ. Humbly, at the feet of the Crucified Christ, is where Cranach the Younger was content to take his place.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). This, in summary, is the message of the Lutheran reformation and of its foremost artists, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger.
A Painting that Preaches Christ
by David Buck, edited and revised by Paul T. McCain
Thanks Paul.
Thanks Bruce!
Powerful explanation – powerful message of the cost of Christ's victory and ours. Amazing how much is included in this painting. Thank you for this thorough explanation – particularly meaningful during this Holy Week. I understand why this picture marks your site for it proclaims so clearly what you believe, teach, and proclaim…and guides us to do the same.
Thanks, Mom! Love you, Paul.
I've been delighted to see paintings by Cranach, Durer and others turning up here and in synodical publications and in "Good News." What a splendid restoration to their proper use! But how do you get permission to use them? I would like to use some of the old woodcuts for our church bulletin. The beautiful Durer "Trinity" is held by, I think, the Boston Museum of Art which demands a hefty fee for use. Do you get some kind of "package permission"? Or is there plenty available that is public domain?
While I rejoice to see the tremendous art, I am also bothered by things like the handsome fund raiser brochure sent out by the seminary in Fort Wayne. I must suppose that that piece of mail cost a fortune; and I keep getting more and more such requests for funds. What's happening? Have printing and reproduction costs changed radically in the past decade? Do these elegant flyers increase donations far beyond more modest letters?
Becky, most every image I'm aware I've seen used in various publications is in the public domain, so there are no huge expense involved. And, yes, absolutely, a well prepared fund raising brochure produces much better results. It's all about communication. I hope you support Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, very generously. If folks would, they would not have to ask for funding as much as they do. It's really that simple. So, respectfully, rather than be negative about these things, would you join me in praying for, and then supporting our seminaries? Thanks, and God bless.
A couple of sources for woodcuts which are free for use in church bulletins or parish education are the Digital Image Archive at the Pitts Theological Library. All you have to do is include this acknowledgement: "Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University." A nice selection of Durer images are available at the Wetmore Print Collection of Connecticut College. To quote them: "Copyfright? We encourage your free reproduction and distribution of these digital images. You need not ask us for permission. Permission granted!"
There are lots of woodcuts and engravings on both of these sites. Images are available in high resolution. A laser printer and standard photocopier are all you need to provide excellent quality for worship folders or brochures.
The Cranachs and Duerer were some of the greatest artists in history. I am very glad they were Lutheran. I wish we could get some artists to use their style to decorate our churches. Most modern and post-modern art (even Christian art) lacks the power of their images.
One of the main problems, I think, is that most modern art has cut ties with the Church (or any religion, for that matter) and has become ignorant of its symbolism, etc. And, for that matter, to be "religious" is to commit artistic suicide in a lot of mainstream circles. Methinks many artists that could manage great power with their work shy away for fear of not being represented at a high fallutin' gallery or end up being perceived of as that "Christian Right wing nut" which could then crush their already stormy career choice.
Of course, on the other hand, art typically has an uphill battle to fight with perceptions as it tries to enter the Church. The last 100 years have given it a pretty scattershot image as it has rolled through different modes, moods, etc. and I think the trend then for churches is to fall back on "safe" inspirational images of boats in storms, etc. as a method of having art without having to commit to whatever "beast" is unleashed on them from the artist. Aesthetics, lack of art education and/or appreciation, etc. all pour into this as well.
But then, in terms of economics, art and artists cost money. A lot more money than prints and generic work and this can also be a fact or in deciding whether or not a church goes for hiring artists.
Sigh. I wish it weren't like it and perhaps it isn't everywhere but my experience has told me otherwise.