In the Footsteps of Cranach - A Journey of Discovery

11
The visual language of the new faith –
the first Reformation altar by Lucas Cranach
Schneeberg
The Church of St Wolfgang is one of the large, light
late-Gothic churches of Saxony and owes its existence to
the rich reserves of silver in the Erzgebirge mountains during
the 15th and 16th centuries. The church was almost
completely destroyed during a bombing raid on 19 April
1945. The only artworks that could be saved were eleven of
the twelve panels of the Cranach altar, and these can be
seen together on the winged altar today. Work was carried
out on the church until 1996 to restore it to its former glory.
The Reformation altar in Schneeberg is one of the
most extensive works of the Cranach family. It was commissioned
in 1532 and crafted by Lucas Cranach the Elder
and his workshop until 1539. The altar has a series of images
that places the most important stories of the Bible in a
theological context.
The side of the altar on display on ‘work days’
shows the well-known Law and Gospel, which Cranach
painted in different variations. Our gaze is drawn to Christ,
through whom man is granted salvation – this was the
central belief of the reformers’ theology. Man is “justified”
(“just”) by God through Christ’s redemption and enters
into a new, liberated relationship with God, one’s fellow
men and oneself. In terms of iconography, this notion is
visualised by the figure of Adam standing upright under
the cross.
The ‘feast day’ side of the altar is characterised by
the powerful image of Christ’s crucifixion in the centre.
It is flanked with panels showing Elector Johann Friedrich
of Saxony and Duke Johann Ernst of Coburg. The altar
predella, which is always visible, shows a depiction of the
Last Supper.