Details

Name

Lucas Cranach

Brief Biography

1472–1553, German

Occupation

Artist

Description

Lucas Cranach the Elder was born Lucas Müller. He was taught by his father, the painter Hans Müller, with whom he worked from 1495 to 1498. He changed his name to Cranach, the name of his birthplace. In 1495 he was appointed court painter to the Elector of Saxony, and then took up residence in the Electroral Palace of Frederick the Wise at Wittenburg, having accompanied that Prince on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land two years before. He served three Saxon Electors in capacity of Court painter. He was an intimate friend of Luther, who had been a teacher at the University of Wittenberg and he painted his portrait and his family several times. Cranach was also an engraver on copper and wood, and an illustrator of manuscripts.