The Baptism of Christ
Medium
oil on wood
Dimensions
unframed: 15 × 20.5 cm · framed: 24.4 × 29.2 × 5.1 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Charles E. Roseman in memory of Charles E. Roseman Jr.
Accession Number
1953.143
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Painted in minute detail, Cranach’s majestic scene includes elements characteristic of landscapes in 16th-century German art: verdant forest, hilltop city, and distant mountains. A close associate of Protestant reformer Martin Luther, Cranach adapted Christian imagery to reflect Luther’s belief that religious art must narrate scripture. The Gospels describe Christ’s baptism with the heavens opening, a dove descending, and a voice saying, “Here is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased,” whi...