Saints Genevieve and Apollonia

This painting once formed the outer face of one of the shutters of a multi-panelled altarpiece made by Cranach in 1506, shortly after he was appointed court painter to the Elector of Saxony, Friedrich the Wise, and would have been visible when the shutters were closed. It has since been separated from the front of the shutter and detached from the altarpiece’s central panel.Saint Genevieve became a nun at fifteen. She is the patron saint of Paris because it is believed her prayers diverted Attila the Hun away from the city and towards Orléans, where he was defeated. Later, when Paris was besieged by Childeric I, she acted as an intermediary between residents and besiegers, helping to collect food and convincing Childeric to release his prisoners. Here, she holds the candle that miraculously relit after being blown out by the devil while she was praying one night. The pendant around her neck displays the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega, to symbolise Christ. On her gold bodice are the letters ‘GSE’.Saint Apollonia lived in Alexandria, around AD 200. She was one of a group of virgin martyrs who were brutally tortured for their Christian faith. During her torture, Apollonia’s teeth were pulled out with pliers before she was burned to death. The pliers she holds clasp a bloody tooth, and an image of the pliers is also depicted upon the pendant on her necklace.The altarpiece was very likely made for the chapel of the electors at Wittenberg castle. The martyrdom of Saint Catherine is depicted on its central panel, with Electors Friedrich the Wise and, possibly, Johann the Steadfast included as witnesses. A group of three female saints are shown on each of the inner faces of the shutters.