When they heard of Christ's miracles thousands followed the Messiah and his disciples. Christ was anxious to provide food for the crowd, but the disciples could only bring him a boy who had five fish and three loaves to sell. Thereupon Christ said the prayer of thanksgiving and the loaves
When they heard of Christ's miracles thousands followed the Messiah and his disciples. Christ was anxious to provide food for the crowd, but the disciples could only bring him a boy who had five fish and three loaves to sell. Thereupon Christ said the prayer of thanksgiving and the loaves and fishes were enough to satisfy everyone. This multiplication of the loaves and fishes is traditionally interpreted as a prefiguration of the Eucharist. Cranach arranged the heads of the onlookers along the diagonal axis of the painting. As such he followed a concept that he had already employed in 'The Sermon of St John the Baptist' from 1516, a vertical format woodcut that is related in content. The apostles have taken the boy in their midst and he looks up in amazement at Christ blessing. [Görres, Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 207, No. 113]
- Attributions
-
Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop) | [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 207, No. 113] |
Lucas Cranach the Younger | 'Autorschaft L. Cranach d.J. kommt in Betracht' |
- Production date
- about 1535-1540
Production date
about 1535-1540 | [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 207, No. 113] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 80 x 120 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 80 x 120 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 207, No. 113]
- Signature / Dating
None
- Owner
- Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
- Repository
- Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
- Location
- Stockholm
- CDA ID
- SE_NMS_Grh2335
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR366F
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/SE_NMS_Grh2335/