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Magdalene Altar: St Lazarus
Historical Context
Lucas Cranach the Elder depicted Saint Lazarus for the Magdalene Altar around 1525. Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary Magdalene whom Christ raised from the dead, was a central figure in the Magdalene narrative cycle. The painting is in the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Cranach ran a prolific workshop in Wittenberg, closely aligned with the Protestant Reformation and Luther's circle, producing works that blended German Gothic linearity with Renaissance ideals.
Technical Analysis
The panel presents Saint Lazarus with attributes identifying him within the Magdalene altarpiece program. Cranach's figure style balances individual characterization with the formal requirements of the multi-panel ensemble.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice Saint Lazarus in the Magdalene altarpiece context: the brother of Mary Magdalene appears as part of a sibling group whose story was inseparable from the Magdalene narrative.
- ◆Look at whatever attributes identify Lazarus: his resurrection from the dead left no specific object-attribute, so Cranach would distinguish him through pose and context.
- ◆Find the relationship between this Lazarus panel and the Magdalene and Martha panels in the same altarpiece: the three siblings forming a coherent narrative group.
- ◆Observe the Bavarian State Painting Collections provenance: multiple panels from this altarpiece survive together.
