Albert, Cardinal Elector of Mainz at the foot of the Cross 1520

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted Albert, Cardinal Elector of Mainz at the foot of the Cross. Here, the artist places the figure of Albert of Mainz in a somewhat novel position. Typically, religious art from this period would depict the donor, in this case Albert, as smaller, therefore communicating a lesser importance than the holy figure, Christ. Yet Cranach has rendered Albert nearly the same size as Christ, kneeling with his hands clasped together in what seems to be a personal moment of reflection. Albert was a complicated figure who represented the intersection of religious authority and political power. At the time, he was deeply involved in selling indulgences to fund the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, but was later sympathetic to Martin Luther’s cause. This painting leaves us to wonder about the nature of faith, and how we, like Albert, can only kneel at the foot of the cross, hoping that the divine will meet us.