Why Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach is still a big deal

On the 500th anniversary of his birth, Lucas Cranach the Younger is finally stepping out of the shadow of his father, known as the Elder. These two major painters of the 16th century worked in the courts of the rulers of Saxony and were especially famous for their portraits. They also befriended church reformer Martin Luther and documented the Reformation in their work.

The Cranachs' atelier was one of the most prolific in Europe. The rulers and intellectuals of the period were their guests - including the leaders of the Reformation movement, Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon. Pictured is a portion of a larger-than-life portrait of Melanchton. Even during their lifetimes, the Cranachs were among the most famous painters of the German Renaissance.

Born on the cusp of the modern era, the Cranachs not only took the Reformation as their motive, but also depicted core scenes and lessons from the Bible. Pictured here is the temptation of Adam and Eve, painted in 1549. Miniaturization, light-filled landscapes, a low horizon are all characteristic of the younger Cranach's work.

The talented Lucas the Younger learned quickly from his father, becoming his right hand in the atelier. Lucas the son also developed his own perspective, focusing more on people than his father did. Here, his depiction of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River transcends time: Jesus is surrounded by the family of Martin Luther's fellow reformer, Johannes Bugenhagen.

In this work from 1554, Cranach the Younger depicts the resurrection of Christ. The cross and the scarlet sky represent the Messiah's victory over death. Leipzig's mayor, Leonard Badehorn, commissioned the painting in memory of his deceased wife - so Cranach painted the sponsor's family into the scene.

As the Reformation took its course, the world the Cranachs lived in was divided into Catholic and Protestant camps. But the two painters accepted commissions from both denominations. Nevertheless, Cranach the Younger revealed his support for the newly established Protestantism in his work, as seen here in "Reformers and Papists in the Vineyard of the Lord" (1573-1574).

Lucas Cranach the Younger had as many as 36 apprentices under his watchful eye. They worked in part with stencils to outline the basic physiology of their subjects, like Philipp I, Duke of Pomerania, pictured here.

Portraits of nobility were often commissioned as gifts or painted posthumously, which made it impossible for the subject to pose. It was therefore useful for the atelier to maintain a collection of stencils and sketches of various important individuals. When a new painting was commissioned, sketches of heads and hands were practiced and then later implemented in the final work.

While Cranach the Elder tended to paint individual portraits associated with the Reformation, his son tended to paint the Reformers into biblical scenes, for example portraying them as Jesus' disciples, like in this nearly five-square-meter painting of the Last Supper.

The Last Supper painting contains a suprise: It shows not only the most important players in the Reformation and various members of the Principality of Anhalt, but also the younger Cranach himself. He can be found in the lower right corner in the role of a cupbearer. It's the only known self-portrait of the younger Cranach.

In addition to his countless church motives, Lucas Cranach the Younger also sold plenty of portraits and genre paintings. He continued his father's tradition of depicting humanistic motives, which represents a historic shift away from purely religious works. The naiad, a mythical creature, is just one example.

More than 5,000 works of art were created in the Cranachs' atelier. Their trade mark was this specially designed image of a crowned, winged snake with a ring in its mouth. This year, marking 500 years since the birth of Lucas Cranach the Younger in 1515, simultaneous exhibitions are taking place in Wittenberg, Dessau and Wörlitz.