Madonna and Child with Grapes by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Madonna and Child with Grapes c. 1537

germany

portrait

portrait reference

portrait head and shoulder

animal portrait

animal drawing portrait

portrait drawing

facial portrait

portrait art

fine art portrait

digital portrait

Lucas Cranach the Elder’s “Madonna and Child with Grapes” (c. 1537) depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, emphasizing their close bond. The painting is a quintessential example of the German Renaissance style, with its meticulous detail, rich colors, and the inclusion of a symbolic element—the grapes—representing Christ's sacrifice and the Eucharist. The artwork’s small size suggests it was intended for private devotional use. Currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, this piece offers viewers a glimpse into Cranach’s mastery of portraiture and religious symbolism.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Lucas Cranach the Elder worked in a time of religious upheaval. Martin Luther (a close associate of Cranach) led the Protestant Reformation challenging the Catholic Church, arguing that man could have a direct relationship with God without the need for a priest to intermediate. Cranach adapted familiar Catholic imagery to the Protestant Reformation. The image of Mary as a half-figure with her son Jesus Christ as a little man standing on her lap is derived from Italian prototypes of the later 1400s. Jesus holds a single grape, which he has picked from a bunch held by his mother. This refers to the belief that bread and wine turn into Christ’s body and blood during Catholic mass, a doctrine shared by Martin Luther but disputed by other reformers.