Cranach
et son temps -
Musee du Luxembourg
Lucas Cranach (1472-1553) is one of the leading representatives of the
Renaissance in Northern Europe, and one of the most famous German
artists. This generous artist of the
entire first half of the sixteenth century, is still unknown in France. To enlight the opening of European part of its programming dedicated to
the Renaissance, the Luxembourg Museum, closed since January 2010,
inaugurates its redesigned spaces, presenting from 9 February until
Monday, May 23, 2011, the exhibition dedicated to him: "Cranach and his
time." Lucas Cranach, his success, his reputation in high society, his proximity to the intellectual power, makes it one of
personalities among the most original and most amazing of the sixteenth
century Europe. The exhibition allows us to understand the place of
that artist in art history and his involvement in the society of his
time, then affected by violent evolutions of political and religious history. The exhibition is chronological, with the exception of the section devoted
to nudes, which is the most famous of his work. The exhibition begins with two self-portraits by Cranach: a panel dated
1531 and a woodcut made almost twenty years later. On the latter,
Cranach was represented among the spectators of the Arrest of Christ,
while on the painted panel, his only known self portrait, we address a
meditative look. These works indicate the outset the two areas of work
of an artist who has distinguished himself not only as a painter but
also as an engraver. To reveal the influence of contemporaries, the next exhibition is a
selection of paintings, drawings and prints by Cranach with the
production of other artists. It focuses particularly on the richness
and originality of the talent by Cranach, a track record of decisive
meetings with representatives of major political and religious life of
the time, so agitated by the blow of the Protestant Reformation. The first years of Lucas Cranach are less known. We only know he was born in Kronach, a
small town in Franconia in the north-west of the current Bavaria, which
he derives his name. His life and career start and in southern Germany where it is probably
influenced by Albrecht Dürer, who then enjoyed a great
reputation. It was in Vienna, where Cranach settled in the early years
of the sixteenth century, that his career really takes off. Its early success attracted the attention of one of the greatest
princes of the Roman Empire, the Elector of Saxony Frederick III
the Wise (1463-1525). He invited Cranach in Wittenberg in 1505. Court
painter, Cranach is quickly becoming one of the most prominent figures
in Wittenberg. Cranach and representation Nuun section of the exhibition is devoted to
the nude, which occupies a central place in the work of Cranach.
Production in this area remains unmatched in the European Renaissance. Cranach began his career as a painter of nudes in 1509. At that time,
he was the first north of the Alps to paint a pagan goddess, naked,
natural size, accompanied by Cupid. It is so, the great specialist of
naked, treated him with a way to both stylized and sensual, sometimes a
disturbing eroticism. In his female figures of great sensuality, sometimes borrowed from the
ancient repertoire (Venus, Diana ...), sometimes to the Christian
culture (Eve), it represents the beauty of the body sometimes
disturbing, with a barrel "is quite different proportions popular
during the Renaissance ideal. In 1517, Europe entered the era of the Reformation, when Martin Luther
published his theses in Wittenberg fighting against the iniquities of
the Catholic Church. The resulting impressed Cranach, with the reformer among his friends. He must find new
customers, because the critical position of Luther against images that
reduce the demand for religious paintings. He then undertakes, from 1520 in the printing trade, taking advantage
of the new application written expressed by supporters of the
Reformation. He not only illustrates his famous etchings Testament from
September 1522, translating the New Testament into German by Luther,
but he also supports printing. With portraits of Martin Luther and his chief supporters and opponents,
so to speak Cranach gives a face to the Reformation. The last years of
his life were marked by the defeat in 1547 of the Protestant League. He
died in 1553. His son Lucas leads the workshop Wittenberg long after
the death of his father.
9 february - 23 may 2011
Musée du Luxembourg - 19 rue de
Vaugirard, 75006 Paris - 01 40 13 62 00
