The time of the Reformation also left its mark on the visual arts. The time of upheaval demanded new pictorial content that brought Luther's ideas closer to the largely illiterate population. The sale of indulgences and the veneration of saints were increasingly rejected; according to Luther, salvation could only be achieved through inner faith. Paintings were intended to foreground God's grace and to depict the story of salvation in a manner faithful to the Bible. The education of people was an important purpose of this new style of painting.
Lucas Cranach, a friend of Luther, was one of the most sought-after painters for reformers, although he continued to accept commissions from Catholic employers. One of Cranach's students in his workshop in Wittenberg was Hans Kemmer, who was later sought after as a Reformation and portrait painter in his hometown of Lübeck. Kemmer fell into obscurity after his death, but research has rediscovered him in the last 30 years. Of the works attributed to Kemmer, 22 are now on display in an exhibition. A juxtaposition with selected paintings by his models Cranach, Jacob van Utrecht and Hans von Köln provides a deeper insight into the work of the long-forgotten painter Kemmer.
Although Kemmer never became a court painter like Cranach, his work during these influential years for the early modern period in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck with its numerous trade connections was remarkable. The Museum St. Annen, originally a church which itself was closed in the course of the Reformation, offers the ideal historical setting for this exhibition until February 6, 2022. One week after the opening, public guided tours with different focuses will be offered by the museum on Reformation Day.
