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Sermon of John the Baptist, 1549

by Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515–1586)

A larger image of Sermon of John the Baptist, by Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1549 (7.35 MB).
Landsknechts in the foreground, merchants & other civilians to the right, with German mounted armoured lancers in the background.

Description: St John the Baptist stands raised up on a tree-stump on the left side of the painting. He wears a fur robe and speaks to a large throng of soldiers (some on horseback), nobility and citizens who occupy almost all of the remaining pictorial space. Beneath him in the first row to the right of the centre a man dressed in princely attire is particularly conspicuous. He points with his finger to the right where beside him a white haired man in a fur-lined black cloak stands. He holds two documents in his hand. The text indicates that the recipiant is a duke.

Dimensions: 113.9 × 167.6 cm (44.8 × 66 in)
Held by the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Braunschweig

Artist's insignia beside the tree stump: winged serpent, facing left and the date '1549'.

Inscription: Ihr Hoff vnd Krigsleute lasset euch an Euer besoldung begnugen vnd beschwe=
ret noch vbersetzet niemand vnd Finantzet den leuten nit das ihre ab. Luc. iii.
Dann wehr schanchung nimmet kan nicht einem wie dem anderen das
Recht vnd die gleichhait widerfahren lassen. Im letzten Buch Moisi am
xvi Capittel.'

Other 16th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
Index of Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers