Old Man Beguiled By Courtesans 

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted this cautionary scene of an ‘Old Man Beguiled By Courtesans’ with oil on panel sometime in the first half of the 16th century. It's a rather stark warning about the dangers of lust and greed. The image creates meaning through its specific visual codes. The old man is being robbed of his money and his dignity by the courtesans. The painting’s composition, with the courtesans clustered around the old man, emphasizes their predatory nature. It was painted in Germany during the Reformation, a time of great social and religious upheaval. Cranach was a close friend of Martin Luther, and his art often reflected the moral concerns of the Reformation. This work comments on the social structures of its time, particularly the role of women and the dangers of wealth. It critiques the moral decay that Cranach and others saw in society. To better understand this artwork, we can look at other paintings and prints from the period that deal with similar themes. We can also look at the writings of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders to get a better sense of the moral climate of the time.