Lucas Cranach the Elder

Lucas Cranach, an artist from Franconia, was appointed court painter to Frederick the Wise in Wittenberg in 1505. There he not only became a close friend of Luther's and later the godfather of his children, but also spread the new message of the Reformation through the medium of painting. Even his contemporaries were amazed at the enormous productivity of his workshop, which produced over 5,000 paintings and far more prints during his lifetime. His son, Lucas Cranach the Younger, continued his father's work.