The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara
1401 to 1500
Medium
woodcut
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.2845
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara*, a striking woodcut by Lucas Cranach the Elder, a master of the German Renaissance (c. late 15th century). Part of the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, this print captures the dramatic legend of Saint Barbara, a 3rd-century Christian martyr beheaded by her pagan father for refusing to renounce her faith. Cranach, court painter to the Electors of Saxony and a pioneer in printmaking, infused his works with vivid Northern Renaissance style—characterized by intricate details, expressive figures, and a focus on religious devotion. Woodcuts lik...
About the Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1472–1553
Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553) was one of the most prominent German Renaissance painters and a key artistic figure of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Kronach, Franconia, to the painter Hans Maler, Cranach began his career in Vienna around 1502, where he became one of the founders of the Danube School, a movement characterized by expressive landscape painting and emotional force. His ea...