The Crucifixion with the Converted Centurion

Created in the orbit of the Protestant reformer Martin Luther, this painting represents an episode from the Bible: as Christ utters His final words (“Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit”), a Roman centurion experiences a religious conversion, recognizing that “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Both phrases are inscribed here in German, rather than in the traditional Latin. The date of the painting and the winged serpent, Cranach’s characteristic signature, are visible in the lower right. The coat of arms, however, has not been positively identified.