Artwork
Lucas Cranach
Lucas Cranach is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Johann Martin Bernigeroth. It dates from 1761 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The background is plain and unadorned, ensuring the viewer's focus remains entirely on the sitter's serious facial expression and thick beard.
Created in 1761 by Johann Martin Bernigeroth, this engraving serves as a portrait of the German Renaissance master Lucas Cranach the Elder. The work depicts the subject as a bearded man wearing a dark, textured robe, rendered in monochrome. The composition is a bust-length study where the figure's left hand rests upon his chest while his right hand touches his chin, a gesture often associated with contemplation or intellectual authority.
The background is plain and unadorned, ensuring the viewer's focus remains entirely on the sitter's serious facial expression and thick beard. The name "Lucas Cranach" appears at the top of the print, accompanied by dates that likely reference the subject's lifespan. As an engraving produced in the mid-18th century, this piece functions as a reproductive portrait, reflecting the continued reverence for Cranach's legacy well after his death in 1553.
Bernigeroth's technique captures the weight of the drapery and the texture of the beard through precise line work, typical of the period's approach to honoring historical artistic figures.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is presented in a dark, textured robe, his left hand placed over his chest and his right hand supporting his chin, a pose that conveys contemplation or authority. The emphasis on the subject’s thick beard and serious gaze suggests a portrait intended to convey dignity, rather than a literal representation of the artist after whom it is named.
Technique & Style
Bernigeroth employed the fine lines and cross‑hatching typical of mid‑18th‑century engraving to achieve tonal depth. Sharp burins create the intricate texture of the robe and the nuanced shading of the face, while the uncluttered background highlights the figure. The monochrome palette underscores the work’s focus on line work and chiaroscuro rather than colour.
History & Provenance
Created more than two centuries after Lucas Cranach’s death, the print reflects a later period’s interest in commemorating historic artists. The inclusion of a coat of arms and dates suggests a commemorative or didactic purpose, possibly for a collection of portraits of notable German figures. Its attribution to Bernigeroth places it within the German engraving tradition of the Enlightenment era.
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