Similarities Between Cranach And Holbein

The early 16th century in Northern Europe was vastly dominated by a changing religious and political shift, which had a profound impact on art. Due to the build up of the Protestant Reformation as well as the aftermath following, artists were no longer receiving religious commissions and found it necessary to expand their subject matter. During the turn of the 16th century, artists Hans Holbein the Younger and Lucas Cranach shifted to new commissioning political patrons residing in court who changed the artist’s typical subject matter to both i power portrait paintings and humanist style portrait paintings.
Both Cranach and Holbein worked under the patronage of a major court as well as wealthy patrons who mainly requested humanist and formal portraits. Cranach was born in East Germany and quickly settled in Vienna working under commissions from

Johannes Cuspinian painted in 1502, came before he was a favorite court painter of Frederick the Wise, yet uses a similar portrait style that Frederick desired later on. Although the painting was commissioned to commemorate Dr. Johannes’ marriage to Anna, Cranach uses the scene to highlight the sitter’s humanist qualities. Cranach places Dr. Johannes in the foreground, filling the space with his stable triangular form. Behind him, in the background is a landscape scene with soaring birds. He wears an elegant black academic robe and red cap that matches the bright red book in his hands. Johann looks up into space as if in contemplation as he is emerged in nature. This portrait is a humanist depiction of a scholar in nature. Since the patron valued the critical thinking of an individual, Cranach highlights the humanistic qualities in his depiction. He brings together the four elements to emphasize the sitter’s wisdom through flowing water and soaring owls. (Snyder 338) Cranach highlights key humanist qualities of intelligence while emphasizing the freshness of the young