Editing Lucas Cranach the Younger (section)

==Life and career==
Lucas Cranach the Younger was born in [[Wittenberg]], Germany on October 4, 1515, the second son of [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]] and Barbara Brengebier. He began his career as a painter as an apprentice in his father's workshop, training alongside his older brother, [[Hans Cranach|Hans]]. Following the sudden death of Hans in 1537, Cranach the Younger would assume greater responsibilities in his father's workshop.<ref name=MuseoNacional>{{Cite web|url=https://www.museothyssen.org/en/collection/artists/cranach-lucas-younger|title=Cranach, Lucas (The Younger)}}</ref> 
[[File:The grave of Lucas Cranach the Younger, Stadtkirche Wittenberg.jpg|thumb|The grave of Lucas Cranach the Younger, Stadtkirche Wittenberg]]

The [[Protestant Reformation]] began in Wittenberg in 1517. Cranach the Elder was friends with [[Martin Luther]] and became known as a leading producer of [[Propaganda during the Reformation|Protestant artistic propaganda]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucas-Cranach-the-Elder|title=Lucas Cranach, the Elder &#124; German painter}}</ref> In 1550, Cranach the Elder left Wittenberg to join his patron, [[John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony]], in exile.<ref name=MuseoNacional/> Following his father's departure, Cranach the Younger assumed full responsibility over the flourishing family workshop. In this position, he successfully maintained the workshop's high output of quality work, including images of Reformers such as [[Portrait of Martin Luther (Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1564)|Luther himself]].<ref name=Lamport>{{cite book |last1=Lamport |first1=Mark A. |title=Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation |date=2017 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=9781442271593 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ih8wDwAAQBAJ&q=lucas+cranach+1550+exile&pg=PA174 |access-date=February 18, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Although Cranach the Younger was never a court painter, he worked for members of the social elite, including princes and nobles. Upon his death in 1586, theologian Georg Mylius (1613–1640) stated that Cranach the Younger's work could be seen in "churches and schools, in castles and houses."<ref name=Lamport/>

The Cranach family enjoyed a high status in Wittenberg. In addition to the painting workshop, Cranach the Younger was a successful businessman and politician. He occupied several political offices in Nuremberg commencing in 1549, when he served on the city council. He also served as Chamberlain, beginning in 1555 and Burgomaster from 1565.<ref name=MuseoNacional/><ref name=Lamport/>

On February 20, 1541, he married Barbara Brück (daughter of [[Gregor Brück]], who was Luther's legal advisor and Cranach's neighbour in Wittenberg), with whom he had three sons and a daughter. He was also connected to the Brück family by his sister, Barbara Cranach, who married Christian Brück (brother of his wife). Barbara Cranach died of plague on February 10, 1550. Soon after, Cranach married Magdalena Schurff on May 24, 1551. This union produced five children, including painter [[Augustin Cranach]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Steinwachs |first1=Albrecht |title=St. Mary's, the Evangelical Parish Church in Wittenberg, the Town of Luther |date=2000 |publisher=Edition Akanthus |location=Wittenberg, Germany |page=62 |isbn=9783000071409 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oj-jHwuauoIC&q=Augustin+Cranach&pg=PA62 |access-date=February 18, 2019}}</ref> His daughter Elisabeth married [[Polykarp Leyser the Elder]].

Cranach the Younger died in Wittenberg on January 25, 1586, at the age of 70.<ref name=Lamport/> He is buried adjacent to one of his finest altarpieces in the church of St Mary, also known as [[Stadtkirche Wittenberg]].