Ill-Matched Lovers

The identity of the Monogrammist HS remains uncertain, but his familiarity with Lucas Cranach and his workshop is evident in shared facial types, meticulous attention to detail, and subject matter ranging from religious to bawdy. The artist's monogram has been linked to Henricus Satrapitanus, a pseudonym for the painter Heinrich Vogtherr, and his body of work exhibits consistent stylistic and compositional characteristics. Further, the Monogrammist’s distinctive underdrawing and panel types, which differ from those of Cranach and his workshop, help to define his oeuvre. These works, some signed with the initials 'HS', include: The Adoration of the Magi (1518), signed "HS" (private collection); The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (circa 1510s), signed "HS" (private collection); and Venus and Cupid, signed "HS" (Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, inv. no. 56.13)