# Lucas Cranach the Younger

> German Renaissance artist (1515–1586)

**Wikidata**: [Q170339](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170339)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_Cranach_the_Younger)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lucas-cranach-the-younger

## Summary
Lucas Cranach the Younger was a German Renaissance artist active during the 16th century, living from 1515 to 1586 within the Holy Roman Empire. He is primarily recognized as a painter and printmaker who produced significant religious and portrait works, including a notable 1565 painting of the Last Supper and a series of ten miniature portraits of the Jagiellonian Dynasty.

## Biography
- Born: 1515 (specific date and place not provided in source material)
- Nationality: German (associated with the Holy Roman Empire)
- Education: Not specified in source material
- Known for: Painting and printmaking, specifically religious works and royal portraits
- Employer(s): Not specified in source material
- Field(s): Painting, Printmaking

## Contributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger created several distinct artistic works that serve as concrete outcomes of his career:
- **The Last Supper**: A painting created in 1565, representing a major religious work attributed to him.
- **Jagiellonian Dynasty Portraits**: A series of 10 miniature portraits depicting the Jagiellonian Dynasty, created in 1554. These works are currently housed at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland.
- **General Output**: As a painter and printmaker, he contributed to the visual culture of the Holy Roman Empire through the production of portraits and religious art.

## FAQs
**What was Lucas Cranach the Younger's primary profession?**
He was a German Renaissance artist who worked specifically as both a painter and a printmaker. His career involved creating artistic representations of persons and religious scenes.

**Which specific artworks are attributed to Lucas Cranach the Younger?**
He is credited with creating the 1565 painting titled "Last Supper" and a set of 10 miniature portraits of the Jagiellonian Dynasty from 1554. These works are among his most documented contributions.

**Where can the miniature portraits of the Jagiellonian Dynasty be found today?**
The 10 miniature portraits created by Cranach in 1554 are located at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland. This collection serves as a key example of his portraiture work.

**What historical context defines Lucas Cranach the Younger's life?**
He lived and worked during the era of the Holy Roman Empire, a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe that existed from 962 to 1806. His life spanned from 1515 to 1586 within this political framework.

## Why They Matter
Lucas Cranach the Younger played a vital role in preserving the visual history of the Holy Roman Empire through his diverse output as a painter and printmaker. His work, such as the 1565 "Last Supper," contributes to the religious art canon of the German Renaissance, while his 1554 portraits of the Jagiellonian Dynasty provide a unique historical record of European royalty. Without his contributions, the visual documentation of these specific dynastic figures and religious themes from the mid-16th century would be significantly diminished. His ability to produce both large-scale religious paintings and intimate miniature portraits demonstrates the versatility required of artists in his field during that period.

## Notable For
- Being a German Renaissance artist active from 1515 to 1586.
- Creating the 1565 painting "Last Supper."
- Producing 10 miniature portraits of the Jagiellonian Dynasty in 1554.
- Working as both a painter and a printmaker.
- Having works housed in the Czartoryski Museum, Kraków, Poland.
- Operating within the historical context of the Holy Roman Empire.

## Body

### Identity and Historical Context
Lucas Cranach the Younger was a human member of the Homo sapiens species, uniquely identified as a German Renaissance artist. His life and career were situated within the Holy Roman Empire, a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe that existed from 962 to 1806. He lived from 1515 to 1586, a period that places him firmly in the 16th-century artistic landscape. His professional identity encompassed the roles of both a painter, defined as an artist who practices painting, and a printmaker, a person who makes prints from plates or blocks.

### Major Artistic Works
The artist's portfolio includes specific, dated works that define his legacy. In 1565, he created a painting known as "Last Supper," which stands as a significant religious work in his oeuvre. Earlier in his career, in 1554, he developed a series of 10 miniature portraits depicting the Jagiellonian Dynasty. These specific portraits are notable for their current location at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland. His work in portraiture aligns with the definition of a portrait as an artistic representation of one or more persons.

### Professional Scope and Affiliations
While specific employers are not detailed in the provided source material, his professional activities are clearly defined by his fields of painting and printmaking. He operated as a creator within the broader cultural and political entity of the Holy Roman Empire. The source material identifies him as a "politician" in the context of related entities, though his primary documented output remains artistic. His work contributed to the sitelink count of 40 across various knowledge bases, indicating a substantial digital footprint regarding his life and works.

### Legacy and Recognition
Lucas Cranach the Younger is recognized under various aliases, including Lucas (II) Cranach, Lucas Cranach II, the younger Lucas Cranach, Lucas, the younger Cranach, Lucas, the Younger Cranach, Lucas, II Cranach, Lucas II Cranach, Lucas Cranach, Lucas (The Younger) Cranach, and lucas cranach the younger. These variations reflect the historical and linguistic nuances in referencing the artist. His contributions to the "Last Supper" and the Jagiellonian Dynasty portraits ensure his place in art history, specifically regarding the documentation of religious themes and royal lineages in the 16th century. The existence of these works in major institutions like the Czartoryski Museum underscores the enduring value of his artistic output.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. artist list of the National Museum of Sweden. 2016
4. Genealogics
5. Source
6. The Fine Art Archive
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. KulturNav
9. SNAC
10. Discogs
11. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
12. Roglo
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Virtual International Authority File
15. Swedish Open Cultural Heritage
16. CONOR.SI
17. Sächsische Biografie
18. CERL Thesaurus
19. Union List of Artist Names. 2021
20. LIBRIS. 2012
21. Metropolitan Museum of Art
22. [Source](https://www.fine-arts-museum.be/nl/de-collectie/artist/cranach-lucas-ii-1)
23. [Collectie Boijmans Online](https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/61194/portrait-of-a-woman-after-cranach-the-younger)
24. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
25. catalogo.beniculturali.it
26. [Source](https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1cl1g8d/alma992396443504896)