Artwork
Friedrich III (1463–1525), the Wise, Elector of Saxony
Friedrich III (1463–1525), the Wise, Elector of Saxony is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1533 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
This portrait shows a man with a thick white beard and mustache, dressed in dark fur and a white collar.
This portrait shows a man with a thick white beard and mustache, dressed in dark fur and a white collar. His black hat has a wide brim, and he’s looking straight ahead with a serious expression. The background is a plain, light blue-green color, and there’s a framed text panel below his shoulder.
The painting includes the date 1533 in the corner, hinting at when it was made. The text panel is written in German, but the details are faded.
If you like this style, check out Lucas Cranach the Elder.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Frederick III of Saxony, known as the Wise, in the capacity of Elector, rendered as a formal portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1533. As a portrait, the work functions to affirm the sitter's political authority and familial lineage, emphasizing his role as a leading prince of the Holy Roman Empire. The depiction follows conventional iconography of Saxon electors, showing the figure in contemporary court dress that signals status and legitimacy. The work is a visual record of Saxon ducal power during the early Reformation period.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Friedrich III, painted in 1533 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, exemplifies Northern Renaissance oil technique on a wooden panel. The work is executed in oil paint and classified as a portrait. The support is a panel measuring 20.3 cm in height and 14.3 cm in width, a format typical for small-scale portrait paintings of the period.
The composition reflects the courtly realism characteristic of Cranach's output, with fine linear detail and a restrained palette that emphasizes the sitter's status.
History & Provenance
The portrait is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with accession number 46.108. The painting, an oil on panel measuring 20.3 × 14.3 cm, entered the museum's collection in 1946 as part of the Rogers Fund acquisition. It has not been recorded in major Cranach exhibitions since its acquisition, and no documented exhibition history prior to 1946 is available in the cited sources.
Legacy
The portrait of Frederick III, painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1533, exemplifies early German Renaissance portraiture through its realistic rendering and symbolic accessories. Executed in oil on panel, the work measures roughly 20 × 14 cm. After its creation, the image entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been displayed as a representative example of Saxony's princely portraiture. Scholars cite the painting for its technical mastery and as a visual record of the Wise's political authority, contributing to the enduring reputation of Frederick III within art-historical discourse.
Overview
This oil painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, created in 1533, portrays Friedrich III, known as the Wise, Elector of Saxony. The portrait features a man with a prominent white beard and a serious demeanor, clad in dark fur and a wide-brimmed black hat. It is currently housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a direct gaze from a significant historical figure.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
Elector of Saxony Frederick III
Portrait of the Elector John the Steadfast of Saxony (1468-1532)
Portrait of the Elector John the Steadfast of Saxony (1468-1532)
The three Electors of Saxony
Johann the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony
Portrait of the Elector John Frederic the Magnanimous of Saxony (1503-1554)
Johann (1498–1537), Duke of Saxony
Portrait of the Elector John Frederic the Magnanimous of Saxony (1503-1554)
Johann Friedrich I, the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony