DOI Artikel:
Krasny, Piotr: Lutherus honorandus, non adorandus?: reflexions on the development of Martin Luther's iconography after reading the book: Martin Luther, Monument, Ketzer, Mensch
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.38234#0130
129
boots, holding a book in his hands.11 Such a distinctly dig-
nified likeness of the Reformer was further validated by
his tomb monuments: a memorial brass (which made its
way to the university church in Jena) and a painted me-
morial portrait in the Castle Church in Wittenberg.12
But, as stated by Treu, the key role in the dissemination
of images of this type was played by a woodcut executed
by Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-1586) around 1560
[Fig. 1].13 The heroic aspect of this representation, empha-
sised by the arcade framing Luthers figure in the wood-
cut, contributed to the fact that it was repeated in numer-
ous monuments to the theologian14, and recently also in
a plastic figurine, included in a set of the Playmobil toys
manufactured by the Geobra Brandstätter company on
the occasion of the Reformation jubilee.15
Protestant theologians proclaimed unanimously that
Luther in his lifetime was a device in Gods hands, and
was used by the Almighty to renovate the Church.16 This
conviction had led them to employ, after Luthers death,
his appropriately devised image to corroborate and dis-
seminate the reform initiated by him. Thus, by appropria-
tely exhibiting his chosen traits or underscoring such of
his actions that in the best way supported the ‘propagan-
dists line’ of the new confession, he was soon turned into
an elusive mythical figure’ or ‘the Luther of historians’.
The Catholics responded by exaggerating the vices and
misconducts of the Reformer.17 Such a narration of Luther
was particularly conspicuous in artworks, in which - be-
cause of the medium’s inherent quality of condensing the
message it conveyed - the content could not be attenu-
ated, even by means of smallest nuances, as it sometimes
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2. Hans Troschel the Younger, Broadsheet commemorating the cen-
tenary of the Reformation, copper engraving, 1617. After M. Treu,
‘Luther zwischen Kunst’ (as in note 9)
11 F.N. Nüssel, ‘Prophet oder Werkzeug Gottes? Zum Lutherbild
in der frühen lutherischen Orthodoxie’, in Martin Luther. Monu-
ment, p. 11 (as in note*).
12 K. Hegner, ‘Lucas Cranach d. J., Bildnis Martin Luthers in Ganz-
figur, 1546’, in Kunst der Reformationszeit, p. 420 (as in note 7);
A. Arnulf, ‘Die Luther-Memoria, ihre konfessionspolitische In-
anspruchnahme. Veränderung und Rezeption: Epitaphgestaltung
im Umfeld der Wittenberger Universität’, Marburger Jahrbuch für
Kunstwissenschaft, 38, 2011, pp. 79-80, 91-97.
13 M. Treu, ‘Luther zwischen Kunst’, pp. 411-413 (as in note 9).
See also R.W. Scribner, ‘Incombustible Luther’, pp. 54-55 (as in
note 3).
14 W. Weber, ‘Luther-Denkmäler. Frühe Projekte und Verwicklun-
gen, in Denkmäler im 19. Jahrhunderts. Deutung und Kritik, ed. by
VE. Mittig, V. Plagemann, Munich, 1972, pp. 185-200; C. Thei-
selmann, Der Wormser Lutherdenkmal Ernst Rietschels (1856-
-1868) im Rahmen der Lutherrezeption des 19. Jahrhunderts,
Frankfurt am Main, 1992.
15 ‘Plastik-Luther. Reformator ist die erfolgreichste Playmobil-Figur
der Geschichte’, Berliner Zeitung, 20 June 2017 (on-line, https://
www.berliner-zeitung.de/panorama/plastik-luther-reformator-
ist-die-erfolgreichste-playmobil-figur-der-geschichte-27828574
[accessed on 24 Oct. 2017]).
16 F.M. Nüssel, ‘Prophet’, pp. 16-18 (as in note 11).
17 J.M. Todd, Luther. A Life, London, 1982, pp. XV-XIX.
might have been the case in the works of theologians and
historians.
Frederike Nüssel has demonstrated in her extensive
study that the importance of Luther in the history of
Christianity was related by Protestant authors mainly by
naming him a new prophet. Such a designation had ap-
peared in the circles of theologians associated with the
Marburg’s Herrgotts Kanzelei, who, at the turn of the
1550S tried to substantiate the conviction that Luther’s the-
ological works were the only valid formula of interpreting
the Gospels, and one that should be upheld by all sup-
porters of the Reformation. The vision of Luther, a proph-
et enlightened by the Holy Ghost, who faithfully conveyed
Divine teachings to people, had become the foundation
of Lutheran orthodoxy which crystallised after numerous
theologians and pastors had signed the Formula of Con-
cord in 15 77.18 According to Treu, this vision found a par-
ticularly meaningful expression in a print executed by the
Nuremberg artist Hans Troschel the Younger (1585-1628)
on the occasion of the Reformation anniversary in 1617
[Fig. 2]. It shows the four pillars of the Reformation: the
Electors of Saxony, Frederick III the Wise (1463-1525) and
John Frederick I the Magnanimous (1497-1560), as well
18 F.N. Nüssel, ‘Prophet’, pp. 11-31 (as in note 11).
boots, holding a book in his hands.11 Such a distinctly dig-
nified likeness of the Reformer was further validated by
his tomb monuments: a memorial brass (which made its
way to the university church in Jena) and a painted me-
morial portrait in the Castle Church in Wittenberg.12
But, as stated by Treu, the key role in the dissemination
of images of this type was played by a woodcut executed
by Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-1586) around 1560
[Fig. 1].13 The heroic aspect of this representation, empha-
sised by the arcade framing Luthers figure in the wood-
cut, contributed to the fact that it was repeated in numer-
ous monuments to the theologian14, and recently also in
a plastic figurine, included in a set of the Playmobil toys
manufactured by the Geobra Brandstätter company on
the occasion of the Reformation jubilee.15
Protestant theologians proclaimed unanimously that
Luther in his lifetime was a device in Gods hands, and
was used by the Almighty to renovate the Church.16 This
conviction had led them to employ, after Luthers death,
his appropriately devised image to corroborate and dis-
seminate the reform initiated by him. Thus, by appropria-
tely exhibiting his chosen traits or underscoring such of
his actions that in the best way supported the ‘propagan-
dists line’ of the new confession, he was soon turned into
an elusive mythical figure’ or ‘the Luther of historians’.
The Catholics responded by exaggerating the vices and
misconducts of the Reformer.17 Such a narration of Luther
was particularly conspicuous in artworks, in which - be-
cause of the medium’s inherent quality of condensing the
message it conveyed - the content could not be attenu-
ated, even by means of smallest nuances, as it sometimes
Christo Soteri veritati.
TaaBww dtfbJ'cr , Кпсг^ыт-
VINDICI tLVCIS EVANGELICA. R EST I TV TORI,
'w сЧг. Tier JICax. lUtufa per Çftnw*: «xrf*urnt-i
rf—•£.. - il-__ J... f <■ wii
ТЛ VOCE proclamant
llWbif natus, Éipcns 4Uixpić rcòJitus oris.
Convelli* tumidi regna, LVTHERE,Paox
Pofte m fi laudi bené dogma Iccuta fuilsct
furba Ducis, iam mi fraus um,Roma,foret
vH -ut.u i ,
fcmjfeWKW à
fj wffïrfira Т11плш1*1{|у
tu Fl Airn ГК
tÄl fviVvnfi Двпя
VvT-.JAiarnI Cv 16
mVrrùi $aViwT».rr N#
J иииие rftüprttnoMmna .mdt
' lu. ‘ : t
£îi.fimi*wl4il;iirVnf WM«»)*': i
ЙяЯ ОД«£ыг№£ап*{<фпд>.
TuAm’wk&ibi (г44П01->1 СхН > .
OïaA;piin4Ti5abTTtAirit',rvv6n
CV,-ery u rtn
ÇW nvtl :Л1НИ| CfmfÏMléml*
£rtuie*n .
vrpffun ««iWmWrKifStKl
iZmtvnfAlU* tu,fi Anit Ąrtf. '
">vj WibrC* vitia bi frît
2. Hans Troschel the Younger, Broadsheet commemorating the cen-
tenary of the Reformation, copper engraving, 1617. After M. Treu,
‘Luther zwischen Kunst’ (as in note 9)
11 F.N. Nüssel, ‘Prophet oder Werkzeug Gottes? Zum Lutherbild
in der frühen lutherischen Orthodoxie’, in Martin Luther. Monu-
ment, p. 11 (as in note*).
12 K. Hegner, ‘Lucas Cranach d. J., Bildnis Martin Luthers in Ganz-
figur, 1546’, in Kunst der Reformationszeit, p. 420 (as in note 7);
A. Arnulf, ‘Die Luther-Memoria, ihre konfessionspolitische In-
anspruchnahme. Veränderung und Rezeption: Epitaphgestaltung
im Umfeld der Wittenberger Universität’, Marburger Jahrbuch für
Kunstwissenschaft, 38, 2011, pp. 79-80, 91-97.
13 M. Treu, ‘Luther zwischen Kunst’, pp. 411-413 (as in note 9).
See also R.W. Scribner, ‘Incombustible Luther’, pp. 54-55 (as in
note 3).
14 W. Weber, ‘Luther-Denkmäler. Frühe Projekte und Verwicklun-
gen, in Denkmäler im 19. Jahrhunderts. Deutung und Kritik, ed. by
VE. Mittig, V. Plagemann, Munich, 1972, pp. 185-200; C. Thei-
selmann, Der Wormser Lutherdenkmal Ernst Rietschels (1856-
-1868) im Rahmen der Lutherrezeption des 19. Jahrhunderts,
Frankfurt am Main, 1992.
15 ‘Plastik-Luther. Reformator ist die erfolgreichste Playmobil-Figur
der Geschichte’, Berliner Zeitung, 20 June 2017 (on-line, https://
www.berliner-zeitung.de/panorama/plastik-luther-reformator-
ist-die-erfolgreichste-playmobil-figur-der-geschichte-27828574
[accessed on 24 Oct. 2017]).
16 F.M. Nüssel, ‘Prophet’, pp. 16-18 (as in note 11).
17 J.M. Todd, Luther. A Life, London, 1982, pp. XV-XIX.
might have been the case in the works of theologians and
historians.
Frederike Nüssel has demonstrated in her extensive
study that the importance of Luther in the history of
Christianity was related by Protestant authors mainly by
naming him a new prophet. Such a designation had ap-
peared in the circles of theologians associated with the
Marburg’s Herrgotts Kanzelei, who, at the turn of the
1550S tried to substantiate the conviction that Luther’s the-
ological works were the only valid formula of interpreting
the Gospels, and one that should be upheld by all sup-
porters of the Reformation. The vision of Luther, a proph-
et enlightened by the Holy Ghost, who faithfully conveyed
Divine teachings to people, had become the foundation
of Lutheran orthodoxy which crystallised after numerous
theologians and pastors had signed the Formula of Con-
cord in 15 77.18 According to Treu, this vision found a par-
ticularly meaningful expression in a print executed by the
Nuremberg artist Hans Troschel the Younger (1585-1628)
on the occasion of the Reformation anniversary in 1617
[Fig. 2]. It shows the four pillars of the Reformation: the
Electors of Saxony, Frederick III the Wise (1463-1525) and
John Frederick I the Magnanimous (1497-1560), as well
18 F.N. Nüssel, ‘Prophet’, pp. 11-31 (as in note 11).