Lucas Cranach the Elder

Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker who lived from 1472 to 1553. He was born in Kronach, Germany and trained as a painter in Vienna before settling in Wittenberg, where he became court painter to the Electors of Saxony. Cranach was known for his portraits, mythological scenes, and religious works, many of which featured sensuous and voluptuous female figures. He was also a skilled printmaker, producing woodcuts and engravings that were widely circulated throughout Europe. Cranach was an important figure in the Protestant Reformation and was a friend of Martin Luther, who he depicted in several portraits. His art had a significant impact on the development of Northern European Renaissance painting, and his influence can be seen in the work of many later artists, including Albrecht Dürer and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.