The pictorial space is divided in two halves by a tree in the centre. In the foreground Death and the Devil chase a bearded man wearing a loincloth into the flames of hell. A group of prophets watches the incident. Among them is Moses, who holds the commandment tablets in
The pictorial space is divided in two halves by a tree in the centre. In the foreground Death and the Devil chase a bearded man wearing a loincloth into the flames of hell. A group of prophets watches the incident. Among them is Moses, who holds the commandment tablets in his left hand. In the background on the left side of the image the Fall of Man, the brazen serpent and Christ as the Judge of the World in a gloriole of clouds are depicted.
The naked, bearded figure from the left side is shown again beside St John the Baptist, who points to the crucified Christ from whose side blood spurts out over the naked man. On the right edge of the painting the resurrected Christ has defeated Death and the Devil with the victory banner. Christ ascends to Heaven above the burial cave. Only his feet are still visible. In anticipation of the nativity the Christ Child descends to the Virgin on a hill in the background.
[Görres, CDA 2012]
- Attributions
-
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder | [Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012] |
Lucas Cranach the Younger | [Exhib. Cat. Gotha/Kassel 2015, 180, No. 47] |
- Production date
- about 1550
Production date
about 1550 | [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2015, No. 47] [Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 19 x 25.5 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 19 x 25.5 cm
Dimensions including frame: 35.5 x 41.5 cm
[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]
- Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia on the trunk of the central tree: winged serpent (with dropped wings) facing left, in yellow paint, with both a crown and a ring
Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia on the trunk of the central tree: winged serpent (with dropped wings) facing left, in yellow paint, with both a crown and a ring
- Inscriptions and Labels
- top left: 'RO: I PALAM [FIT] IRA
DEI DE COELO [A]DVERSUS
OMNEM IMPIETATEM ET
IVSTITIAMInscriptions and Labels
Inscriptions, Badges:
- top left:
'RO: I PALAM [FIT] IRA
DEI DE COELO [A]DVERSUS
OMNEM IMPIETATEM ET
IVSTITIAM [sic] [1] HOMINUM.'
- top, centre:
'ESAIAE VII DOMINVS
IPSE DABIT VOBIS
SIGNVM ECCE VIRGO CONCIPIET ET PARIET FILIVM'
- in the text block at the bottom edge of the painting, in six columns:
'OMNES ENIM PECCAVE-
RVNT AC DESTITVVNTV[R]
GLORIA
DEI
ROM: III'
'ACVLEVS AVTEM MORTIS
PECCATVM POTENTIA
VERO PECCATI LEX
I COR: XV LEX IRAM
OPERATVR
ROM: IIII'
'PER LEGEM AGNITIO PEC
CATI ROM: III OMNES PRO-
PHETAE ET IPSA LEX VS-
QUE AD IOANNEM PRO-
PHETAVERVNT
MATTHAEI XI'
'NAM IN CHRISTO IESV
NEQ: CIRCVMCISIO QVIDQ
VALET NEQ: PREPVTIVM
SED FIDES OPERANS P
DILECTIONEM AD
GAL: V'
'ECCE AGNVS ILLE DEI
QVI TOLLIT PECCATA
MVNDI IO: I PER SANC-
TIFICATIONEM SPIRITVS
IN OBEDIENTIAM ET AS-
PERSIONEM SANGVINIS
[IESU CHRISTI
PETRI [?] I]
'ABSORPTA EST MORS IN VIC-
TORIAM VBI TVVS MORS
ACVLEVS VBI TVA INFERNE
VICTORIA SED DEO GRATIA
QVI DEDIT NOBIS VICTORIA[M]
PER DOMINVM NOSTR[VM
IESUM CHRISTUM I COR: XV [?]]
[1] the wording of the Letter to the Romans in the Vulgata reads: 'INIVSTITIAM HOMINUM'
[Görres, CDA 2012]
- Owner
- Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt
- Repository
- Lutherhaus Wittenberg
- Location
- Wittenberg
- CDA ID
- DE_LHW_G156
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR-none
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_LHW_G156/
- top left: 'RO: I PALAM [FIT] IRA