CRANACH

One of the most versatile artists of the German Renaissance and a close friend of Martin Luther, Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) is the archetypal painter of the Reformation. His activities as a painter, printmaker, and book illustrator reveal a distinctly individual style, and his skill in many different media helped him to create a highly successful workshop. Financially more successful than his contemporary Albrecht Durer, Cranach''s influence on the development of German painting was profound. His outstanding gifts are evident not only in his portrayal of landscape, animals, and the female nude, but also in devotional paintings and portraiture, in his later work as chief propagandist of the Protestant cause, and in his inventive treatments of biblical and mythological subjects. Published to accompany a major traveling exhibition, this handsome publication stimulates our appreciation of the artist by bringing together works of many different themes, both sacred and profane, notable for their originality. Superbly illustrated throughout, the book contains seven insightful essays by leading authorities.