Called Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, to work at his court, Cranach painter of the voters will be three consecutive from 1504 until his death in 1553. An intensive activity that involves him in realizzaione boards and wall paintings, but also ephemeral decorations for parties and tournaments, commemorative medals, clothing, furniture and stained glass. Cranach marks the passage by the artist-craftsman medieval - whose personality was often mortified by the corporations - the new role played by the creative genius in the Renaissance courts. He is a pride and a conception of the artist's being characteristic of the modern age. Significant is his elevation to the rank of nobility by Frederick III, who gave him the coat of arms with the winged dragon, a distinctive signature of his work below. The size of the craft becomes creativity in medieval European courts of the sixteenth century search for a refined beauty that can inform himself of every aspect of daily life. An ideal that will live in the twentieth century with the movement Arts and Crafts , alternative "workshop" to the industrial production system. Cranach is also the sixteenth-century painter who has most enhanced the female body. His sharp and sinuous beauty, always pervaded by a suggestive eroticism, allowed the painter to win a 'major customers in a time when Protestant churches were not interested (in some cases even hostile) to the visual arts. E ', however, that these subjects can hide an uplifting message or allegorical content highlighting examples of moral or ethical strength and warning to the contrary exempla . Phyllis, Judith, Salome, are called to be the power to enchant ( Weiberlist ) of women and of course on all outstanding Eve, the primordial creator of deception.
The depiction of the power of women ( Weibermacht ) based its success on the paradoxical reversal of the hierarchical relationship between the genders and in a sense reaffirming the warning behaviors represented by the viewer. Of course we must not overlook the ironic intentions of these individuals, much in vogue at the time and offered not only magnificent paintings, but also on several panels and other utensils for daily use.
Cranach spent most of his life in the town of Luther, Wittenberg. From here contributed to the spread of the new creed of the Reformation by creating altars, portraits, illustrations of the Bible translated into German.
Through the use of half-figures and the dark background, in its depiction of evangelical Cranach makes the viewer participates in the subject illustrated and seems to recall the fundamental principle of the Reformation of a direct relationship between man and God through faith.
The portraits of Luther helped to confirm and disseminate the role of religious leader. Even the wife of the reformer, Katharina von Bora, was devoted to a painting, highlighting that the questioning of celibacy is indirectly a complaint clerical organization of the Church of Rome. Through the choice of episodes and key themes of the New Testament - Christ Bless the children, the comparison of the Mosaic Law and the Gospel, the Crucifixion - and stressing the primacy of faith and grace on human works. In the same year in which he was more committed to producing a large quantity of works inspired by Cranach Lutheran accepted commissions from various churches and Catholic princes. These works were undoubtedly made with the consent of Frederick the Wise. Perhaps the voters considered them as a diplomatic tool against Catholic principles. Once again, the great quall'artista iconologist Erwin Panofsky called "provincial" shows the protagonist of one of the key moments in the history of Europe.
Luca Vona - article published reform of 19 November 2010
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