About this artwork
Lucas Cranach designed his Martyrdom of the Twelve Apostles series in 1512. This clear and crisp impression of the impending decapitation of Saint Matthias derives from that early printing. The block was reprinted around 1548, with letterpress text on the back, to illustrate Martin Luther’s German translation of the Apostle’s Creed. Despite the series’ violent subject matter, the Protestant publisher of the c. 1548 edition dedicated the book to his daughters and referred to the images as “fine and pleasing.”
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Lucas Cranach the Elder
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Title
- Saint Matthias, from The Martyrdom of the Apostles
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Place
- Germany (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1507–1517
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Medium
- Woodcut in black on ivory laid paper
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Dimensions
- Image/block/sheet: 16.2 × 12.6 cm (6 7/16 × 5 in.)
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Credit Line
- Clarence Buckingham Collection
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Reference Number
- 1942.656
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/45762/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.