Law and Grace
Artist: Lucas Cranach the Elder (German, c. 1472-1553)
Date: 1529
Medium: Oil on panel
Collection: National Gallery Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Description
The painting Law and Grace (also called The Fall and Redemption of the Mankind) departs from Luther´s teaching about Justification by Faith.
The depicted scenes show Moses on Mount Sinai, receiving the stone tablet with Jewish law; under this scene Adam and Eve stand next to the Tree of Knowledge, precipitating Man´s Fall from Grace. The centre displays an erected brass serpent. Death is symbolized by an open grave with a dead body. Although the Prophet Isaiah belongs to the outdated period sub lege, in this painting, he turns to a man seated on the divide between the two eras, and points at the Redemptor on the Cross, i.e. to the era sub gratia. From the right, John the Baptist leans towards the man. John the Baptist also symbolizes the Redemption of mankind through Christ´s sacrifice, raising his right hand to Agnus Dei. The counterpoint to the scene on Mount Sinai is Mary on Mount Zion. She is approached by a flying Christ Child with a cross, i.e. Emmanuel. In the far background, we can see the scene of the Annunciation to the shepherds, and, finally on bottom right, the scene with a Resurrected Christ trampling Death and Sin.
