Artwork
Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara
Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1511 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, flanked by Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Barbara.
The composition portrays the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, flanked by Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Barbara. Catherine is identified by the wheel and book, while Barbara is shown with a tower, both attributes of their martyrdom. Their presence underscores a theme of heavenly intercession and reflects the mystic marriage of Saint Catherine, a mystical union with the divine that dominated devotional imagery of the period.
Executed in oil on panel in 1511, the work belongs to the religious genre and was created by Lucas Cranach the Elder. It is held in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
History & Provenance
Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara was created in 1511 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, possibly with workshop assistance. Executed in oil on panel and measuring 96.5 by 80.5 centimetres, the work depicts the mystic marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria alongside the Virgin, the Christ Child and Saint Barbara. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
The available sources do not record details of the original commission, early ownership, inventory number, or exhibition history.
Overview
Lucas Cranach the Elder completed Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara in 1511, an oil painting that exemplifies his early style. This religious work depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, flanked by two female saints, with additional angelic figures. The composition is a notable example of early 16th-century German Renaissance painting, currently housed at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Technique & Style
Cranach employed oil paint to create this composition, utilizing light and shadow to define forms and create a sense of depth, a technique known as chiaroscuro. Gold patterns adorn the figures' garments, adding richness to the surface. The artist contrasts the serene expressions of Mary and the Christ Child with the dynamic poses of the surrounding figures and angels, contributing to the overall visual interest and narrative.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
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