1522
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Martyrdom of St. John is a 1522 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This black-and-white scene shows a crowd of people watching a man on the ground. Some hold candles or stand with hands clasped. A few figures in the back carry staffs. The setting looks like a room with steps and walls filled with framed pictures and carvings. One man kneels beside the fallen figure, who seems to be in pain. The fallen man is often a saint in art, but here the focus is on the crowd’s mix of curiosity and fear. The detailed frames and decorations around them look like they’re part of the story. Next, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see this print in person.
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
See the richer artist page
