Lucas CranachGerman, 1472–1553The Crucifixion
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “The Crucifixion” now? Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 207, Chicago. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
Open now· until 5:00 PM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
In this crowded scene, traditional vignettes from the Crucifixion story surround the central figure of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus’s mother, the Virgin Mary, swoons amid a group of believers in the lower left corner. On the other side of the cross are Christ’s condemners and the cynics who rejected him, among them the soldiers who cast dice to divide up his clothing. Cranach was a good friend of the Protestant reformer Martin Luther, and though the Crucifixion was a subject more strongly associated with Catholics, Cranach included details that reinforce the Protestant emphasis on the power of faith and individual responsibility—for instance, the figure of the young boy learning from an older man at the foot of the central cross.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1947.62
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
In the life of Lucas Cranach
The whole life1505–1547
Post: court painter
1537
Death of His Son Hans in Bologna
The artist's eldest son, Hans Cranach, died in Bologna.
1537–1544
Burgomaster of Wittenberg
From 1537 to 1544 he repeatedly held the office of burgomaster of the Wittenberg community, and several times served as deputy to the head of the town.
1540
Post: burgomaster
26 December 1540
Death of His Wife Barbara
The artist's wife, Barbara Brengbier, died in Wittenberg.
