![Altarpiece with the Martyrdom of St Catharine: St Dorothea, St Agnes, St Kunigunde [left wing, recto] by Lucas Cranach the Elder](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lucas_Cranach_d.%C3%84._-_Katharinenaltar_(Dresden)_linker_Fl%C3%BCgel%2C_innen.jpg&width=1200)
Altarpiece with the Martyrdom of St Catharine: St Dorothea, St Agnes, St Kunigunde [left wing, recto]
Historical Context
This left wing of the Altarpiece with the Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, painted in 1506 and held in Dresden, depicts Saints Dorothea, Agnes, and Kunigunde. These three female saints—Dorothea with her basket of flowers, Agnes with her lamb, and Kunigunde with her plowshare—represent popular devotions in early sixteenth-century Saxony. The altarpiece was among Cranach’s first major commissions after arriving in Wittenberg in 1505, demonstrating his ability to produce elaborate multi-panel works in the Northern European tradition. The rich coloring and detailed costume rendering already show the courtly elegance that would distinguish Cranach’s mature style from the rougher expressionism of his Vienna period.
Technical Analysis
This work demonstrates Lucas Cranach the Elder's command of Renaissance-period painting techniques.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice Saint Dorothea's attribute of flowers: the basket of roses and apples traditionally associated with this martyred saint is rendered with Cranach's botanical precision.
- ◆Look at Saint Agnes's lamb: the animal held by the patron saint of virgins is depicted with the naturalistic animal observation that appears throughout Cranach's work.
- ◆Observe Saint Kunigunde with her plowshare: the empress-saint's attribute references the miracle in which she walked across hot plowshares to prove her innocence.
- ◆The rich coloring in this early 1506 panel already demonstrates the jewel-like palette that would characterize Cranach's work throughout his career.
