The book-illustrative exhibition "Under the Sign of the Winged Serpent", which celebrates the 550th anniversary of the birth of Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), is on display from September 30 to November 7 in the Fine arts reading room (306).
One of the most famous masters of his period was German painter Lukas Cranach the Elder. The creation of European painting was greatly influenced by the artist's work. Cranach underwent a difficult evolution that served as a bridge between the ideals of the Renaissance and the polished refinement and significant complexity of Mannerism.
The show highlights the breadth of the well-known painter's creative personality as well as the elegance of the distinctive "Cranach style." The exhibition's works have a wide range of themes: religious imagery mix with mythological ones, portraits coexist with genre scenes with instructive meaning, and paintings in which the image of nature takes centre stage. The maestro added his own monogram, a little winged serpent, to nearly all of his paintings and engravings.
Reproductions of the paintings "Portrait of a Woman", "Portrait of Princess Sibylla of Cleves", "Madonna and Child under an Apple Tree", and numerous more compelling works with attractive female subjects were used to decorate the exhibition. A thin, pointed chin, an elongated eye area, and slightly high cheekbones are all characteristics of the Cranach type of female attractiveness. The exhibition features portraits, ancient mythology subjects, and biblical-themed paintings that all feature the face of a golden-haired beauty with narrow, slanted eyes.
Cranach's creative path reflects the fate of Reformation-era German painting. Numerous portraits of Luther, some of which are on display at the show, reflect the artist's Protestant sentiments and connection with Martin Luther.
Books, albums, postcards, reprints, and magazine articles all reveal the competence and talent of a brilliant representative of the German Renaissance and Mannerism when they are collected together.
The opening hours of the exhibition corresponds to the library’s opening hours.
Entrance to the exhibition is available by the library ticket or ticket of the library's social and cultural center.
For more info: (+375 17) 293 27 53.
The article is provided by the Special collections service department.
