Gallery visit to the Kunstpalast Museum Dusseldorf

This visit was a fantastic opportunity to see a special exhibition of the works of Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), a German Renaissance painter.

I liked his religious/nudity themes that were also to influence 20th Century artists such as Picasso, Giacometti and Warhol.  This exhibition will also be useful in Part 4 of the drawing course – feminism and the use of the female form in paintings.

Cranach`s paintings included some very wonderful details such as hair, veils, finger nails, trees and ornamental decoration such as jewelry and dress fabrics etc.

His woodblocks and other drawings in ink and wash have very effective use of line to show form and shadow – interesting for my current work in Part 1 of the drawing course.

Also in the exhibition were some inspirational ink drawings by Picasso on the theme of Cranach’s paintings.  The drawings were drawn in ink with a brush and pen, and also a technique (that I wish to practice) of drawing/scraping on inked paper. Picasso used these themes to produce various versions/series which included lithographic works.

Finally in his 90s, Picasso painted a version of Cranach’s Venus and Cupid (1509) which he entitled Venus and Love (1968), however his version changes the emphasis of Cranach’s masterpeice from sensual to carnal voluptuousness eg. small delicate breasts to large breasts with large red nipples.

Further study:

• Feminism and Cranach/Influence on 20th century artists
• Picasso and his use of black ink – drawing, scraping, painting, mark making
• Giacommetti method of drawing