CRANACH, Lucas the Elder
(b. 1472, Kronach, d. 1553, Weimar)

New Testament in German Translated by Luther

1522
Woodcut
British Library, London

Martin Luther began the translation of the New Testament while in hiding in the Wartburg then edited it after his return to Wittenberg. It was published in 1522. The workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder produced 21 full-page woodcuts of the Apocalypse for this book. Lucas Cranach went into the publishing business specifically for this project. The 3.000 copies of the first edition was sold out within a few weeks, and the book had to be reprinted after three months.

The picture shows the book open at the Vision of the Seven Candlesticks.