# Portrait Diptych of Martin Luther and his Wife Katharina von Bora

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/portrait-diptych-of-martin-luther-and-his-wife-katharina-von-bora-rbeca7327970682>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [CRANACH, Lucas the Elder](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a>)
- Date: 1501-1550
- Technique: Oil and tempera on red beechwood, 38 x 24 cm \(each\)

## Commentary

In 1525 Martin Luther, the apostate Augustinian monk, married Katharina von Bora, a former nun. He was thoroughly aware of the political consequences of this step. Shortly afterwards an aggressive pictorial propaganda campaign was launched that clearly set out to proclaim the event. Pairs of portraits and diptychs of the newly married couple were published in large numbers.

## Related artworks

- [A Faun and his Family with a Slain Lion \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/a-faun-and-his-family-with-a-slain-lion-detail-r100bea5a60de72>)
- [A Faun and his Family with a Slain Lion](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/a-faun-and-his-family-with-a-slain-lion-re578372caaaf42>)
- [A Prince of Saxony](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/a-prince-of-saxony-rb31a36fa7d2d15>)
- [A Princess of Saxony](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/a-princess-of-saxony-ra2aa6a7f685cf7>)
- [Adam and Eve \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-detail-r8aada976918532>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r01375a05d1f882>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r05c8b0d34ce91c>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r1ad4eb003fa739>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r3f1db7c5f5ccb8>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r4a8d0e88e6766f>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r52dc11a76ec05a>)
- [Adam and Eve](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/cranach-lucas-the-elder-r9182bd445f259a/adam-and-eve-r8f1ac7afb0d246>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)