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Allegory of Law and GraceAllegory of Law and Grace © The Trustees of the British Museum/Art Resource, NY

Allegory of Law and Grace

Lucas Cranach the Elder. c. 1530 C.E. Woodcut and letterpress.

Curator Note

"A visual manifesto of the Protestant Reformation. Cranach, a close friend of Martin Luther, contrasts Catholicism (Law) with Lutheranism (Grace). On the left, a man tries to reach heaven by following rules but is damned. On the right, a man simply has faith in Christ and is saved. It teaches "Sola Fide" (Faith Alone)."

Form

  • Woodcut print (mass producible).
  • Divided composition (Left vs. Right).
  • Text (German bible verses) included at bottom.
  • Didactic, illustrative style.
  • Linear and graphic.

Function

  • Propaganda for the Lutheran Reformation.
  • To teach the illiterate the difference between Catholic and Protestant theology.
  • To critique the Catholic emphasis on "works".
  • Cheap distribution.
  • Theological diagram.

Content

  • Tree: Dead on Law side, leafy on Grace side.
  • Left (Law): Moses with commandments, Adam and Eve sinning, Man chased into hell by death/devil.
  • Right (Grace): John the Baptist points to Christ, Blood of Christ creates a fountain of salvation.
  • Holy Spirit (dove).
  • Lamb of God.

Context

  • Martin Luther started the Reformation in 1517.
  • Cranach was the "painter of the Reformation".
  • Woodcuts were the "social media" of the 16th century.
  • Rejection of religious imagery as idolatry (except for teaching).
  • Shift from Latin to vernacular (German).