A family of painters: The Cranach family

Lucas Cranach the Elder came to Wittenberg in 1508 as court painter. He created important works, but was primarily a commissioned painter for the Elector Frederick the Wise.

His son Lucas Cranach the Younger (born 1515) was the painter of the Reformation, preaching with his brush and taking advice from Philipp Melanchthon. Many of the paintings in the town church of St. Mary in Wittenberg bear his mark. Their painter's workshop was tremendously productive: 1500 paintings were created by father and son Cranach with their assistants.

The Cranach family ran two farms in Wittenberg, which still house several historical and contemporary art exhibitions and a children's and youth art school.