Artwork
The Tournament with lances
The Tournament with lances is a print by the Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1509 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Tournament with Lances is a woodcut print by Lucas Cranach the Elder, depicting a chaotic jousting scene.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a crowded jousting field where two teams of armored knights on horseback clash, resulting in a messy and chaotic battle with some fighters falling or getting tangled.
Technique & Style
Cranach created the woodcut from sketches, transferring detailed images onto woodblocks. The resulting print features sharp, bold lines, characteristic of Cranach's style, which contrasts with techniques like sfumato that soften edges.
History & Provenance
The print is an example of 16th-century tournament scenes, a subject Cranach frequently depicted. Group jousting events, or mêlées, gained popularity during the 1500s and were often chaotic.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
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