Madonna Holding the Infant Jesus under the Fir Trees Painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder With Relations to the Output of the Middle Ages and Tradition of Icon Painting

Pages: 21 - 34

Language: eng

The subject of this paper is an analysis of a Marian painting created and signed by Lucas Cranach the Elder c. 1510. It intends to demonstrate relations of this panel painting against a background of the medieval art of both East and West. The piece under discussion was created at the turning point of two epochs of transalpine art: late-Gothic and early-Renaissance. Formal and ideological features present in this painting were borrowed from the oeuvre of medieval art and literature, in addition to a long-standing tradition of icon painting. The icons are often perceived as conservative pictures, remaining motionless through the artistic epochs. These aesthetic components were compiled and creatively developed in the painting investigated in this article. Furthermore, the article considers symbolism from various sources, such as the Vulgate and its translations, as well as medieval writings. Formulated conclusions appear to be useful to research carried out into similar works of art. The article concludes with a discussion of some methodological approaches which might be used in several different contexts.

Waszak, P. 2025. Madonna Holding the Infant Jesus under the Fir Trees Painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder With Relations to the Output of the Middle Ages and Tradition of Icon Painting. In ARS, vol. 58, no.1, pp. 21-34. 0044-9008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/ars-2025-0002

Waszak, P. (2025). Madonna Holding the Infant Jesus under the Fir Trees Painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder With Relations to the Output of the Middle Ages and Tradition of Icon Painting. ARS, 58(1), 21-34. 0044-9008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/ars-2025-0002