A large portion of the works in Berlin by Lucas Cranach the Elder were commissioned by the young Hohenzollern dynasty directly from the Saxon court painter himself. The paintings convey a striking portrait of the rulers and their appreciation of art in the 16th century. The Hohenzollerns, who originated in Franconia and were granted the title of Elector upon receiving the fief of Brandenburg in 1415, rose to become one of Europe’s most influential dynasties over the course of the 16th century. Their growing political ambitions demanded a representative visual language. Art served as an important means of diplomatic and confessional communication.

Lucas Cranach was particularly well-suited to this task. As court painter to the Saxon Elector Frederick the Wise since 1504 and a close confidant of Martin Luther, he enjoyed great renown and possessed the ability to effectively visualize political messages. His workshop was among the most significant north of the Alps.

Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg (1505–1571) played a key role in the Renaissance in Berlin. After assuming the throne in 1535, he had the Berlin monastery church elevated to the status of a cathedral and collegiate church, and supplied it with precious furnishings as well as at least nine altars from the Cranach workshop. The Berlin Palace was also expanded and adorned with paintings by Cranach.

The concert traces the life of Lucas Cranach the Elder, giving his painted figures words and melodies, and thus bringing to life these silent witnesses to Berlin’s Renaissance.