Artwork
Lucretia
Lucretia is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Younger. It dates from 1537 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Lucas Cranach the Younger painted Lucretia in 1537, employing the Northern Renaissance’s history‑painting genre. The oil work is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings and presents the Roman heroine at the moment of her tragic decision.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays Lucretia, the virtuous Roman woman whose suicide after a violation became a symbol of honor and political change. She is shown with a raised arm, a knife poised against her chest, embodying the tension between resolve and hesitation.
Technique & Style
Cranach the Younger renders the figure in a vivid red dress beneath a fur‑lined cloak, accentuated by a string of red beads. A chain clutched in her other hand and the loose pull of her hair add narrative detail, while chiaroscuro lighting isolates her face and the weapon, enhancing the dramatic focus.
History & Provenance
Born into the renowned Cranach workshop, the younger Cranach continued his father’s legacy as a portraitist and history painter. After its creation, the painting entered various collections before being acquired by the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains on display.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Younger (German: Lucas Cranach der Jüngere, IPA: ; 4 October 1515 – 25 January 1586) was a German Renaissance painter and portraitist, the son of Lucas Cranach the Elder and brother of Hans Cranach.
