Artwork
Jude from Christ, the Apostles, and Saint Paul

Jude from Christ, the Apostles, and Saint Paul is a print by the Renaissance artist After Lucas Cranach the Elder. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jude from Christ, the Apostles, and Saint Paul is a woodcut print dated 1564, attributed to the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder. The image is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and depicts a solemn, bearded figure in a red robe and green‑fur cloak, holding a staff and wearing an orange‑brown hat. Beneath the figure a small vignette shows a chair, a book, and German inscription.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure represents Saint Jude, one of the twelve apostles, shown in the act of preaching to a king. The accompanying text, rendered in orderly German lines, narrates Jude’s missionary activity, emphasizing his role as a messenger of Christian doctrine to secular authority. The composition underscores the apostle’s authority and the transmission of faith across societal ranks.
Technique & Style
Executed as a woodcut, the print relies on bold linear carving to define the figure’s garments and facial expression.
Executed as a woodcut, the print relies on bold linear carving to define the figure’s garments and facial expression. The contrast between the vivid red robe and the muted green fur highlights the figure’s prominence, while the fine lettering demonstrates the printer’s skill in integrating text and image. The overall aesthetic reflects the Northern Renaissance emphasis on detail and didactic imagery.
History & Provenance
Created in the 1560s, the work emerges decades after the biblical events it depicts, situating it within the Reformation era’s renewed interest in apostolic narratives. The piece entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on display as a representative example of Cranach’s workshop output and of 16th‑century religious printmaking.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder, After (1472–1553) was a German artist.













