Cranach.(Report from Europe)(Lucas Cranach's works at the Royal Academy of Arts in London)

Little is known about the early life of Lucas Cranach the Elder, who adopted his surname from Kronach, the town in Franconia where he was born. He is first mentioned in Vienna about 1500 and he quickly made his mark. Five years later he moved to Wittenberg and had a long and successful career as a court painter to the elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise. Cranach established a large and highly productive workshop there, producing many portraits as well as paintings on religious and mythological subjects, hunting scenes, and allegories.

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Cranach's output mirrored the artistic and political events of his time. In portraiture he specialized in depicting members of royalty and the nobility, many in full length. His Wittenberg patrons were supporters of Martin Luther, and Cranach and Luther became friends. Cranach supplied illustrations for the New Testament of Luther's translation of the Bible, which was printed over a twelve-year period. He had a press in his house and continued to publish parts of Luther's Bible and other Reformation texts.

Cranach became a prominent citizen of Wittenberg, eventually owning not only a painting studio and printing workshop, but an apothecary and a wine shop. He served on the city council and was three times elected burgomaster. After the defeat and exile of his ...