Artwork
Lot and his daughters
Lot and his daughters is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1528 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition situates the family group against a landscape that hints at the ruined city, reinforcing themes of judgment and mercy.
The painting illustrates the biblical episode in which Lot and his daughters flee the destruction of Sodom. Their departure is understood as a visual allegory for divine rescue amid moral collapse, with the daughters' presence underscoring the narrative's focus on lineage and survival. The composition situates the family group against a landscape that hints at the ruined city, reinforcing themes of judgment and mercy.
History & Provenance
The painting Lot and his daughters was created by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1528. This religious work, measuring 56 cm in height and 37 cm in width, is currently part of the collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The available records do not specify the original commission details or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its arrival at the museum.
The work depicts the biblical narrative of Lot and his daughters, a subject consistent with Cranach's religious output during the late 1520s. Its creation date is firmly established as 1528, aligning with the artist's mature period.
The painting Lot and his Daughters by Lucas Cranach the Elder is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Created in 1528, the work measures 56 cm in height and 37 cm in width. The available sources confirm its location within this specific institution but do not provide a specific inventory or accession number. Furthermore, no details regarding the exhibition history of this piece are included in the provided records.
Overview
Painted in 1528 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, this work illustrates a moment from the biblical story of Lot and his daughters. Executed in oil on panel, it captures a quiet, intimate scene set against a landscape marked by distant destruction. The painting resides in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains one of Cranach’s more narrative-driven religious compositions.
Technique & Style
Cranach employs crisp outlines and flat, saturated colors, particularly vivid reds and greens, to define forms. Figures are elongated and stylized, typical of his mannerist tendencies. The background, with its miniature village and smoldering structure, is rendered with delicate precision, contrasting with the intimate foreground. Light is even and non-dramatic, emphasizing psychological tension over divine spectacle.
Context
Created during the Protestant Reformation, the painting reflects Cranach’s engagement with biblical narratives favored by Lutheran patrons. While the story of Lot was often used to warn against sin, Cranach’s restrained approach avoids overt moralizing. The work aligns with contemporary interest in human psychology and domesticated sacred scenes, diverging from more theatrical Counter-Reformation treatments.
Legacy
The painting exemplifies Cranach’s ability to blend biblical narrative with Northern Renaissance realism and courtly elegance. Though less widely known than his portraits, it influenced later German artists interested in psychological subtlety within religious subjects. Its quiet intensity distinguishes it from more sensational depictions of the same story in European art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
