Artwork
Portrait of Martin Luther
Portrait of Martin Luther is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1532 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
If you're interested in learning more about the artist behind this piece, you might want to explore the works of Lucas Cranach the Elder.
This portrait features a man with short, wavy brown hair and a black hat. He wears a black turtleneck sweater, and his face is turned slightly to the right. The background is a light blue-green color.
A small inscription in the upper-left corner reads "1532" and includes a signature that is difficult to decipher. The subject's gaze is directed off to the side, and his expression is neutral.
The painting's style and technique suggest a Renaissance-era work, characterized by attention to detail and realism. If you're interested in learning more about the artist behind this piece, you might want to explore the works of Lucas Cranach the Elder.
Subject & Meaning
This 1532 oil painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder depicts the German theologian Martin Luther as its sole subject. Executed on a wooden panel, the work functions as a straightforward portrait, focusing entirely on the likeness of the reformer without incorporating additional allegorical figures or complex symbolic attributes. The image serves as a direct visual record of Luther's appearance during the height of the Reformation, emphasizing his individual identity rather than a broader narrative scene.
By isolating the figure, the artwork underscores Luther's personal significance and authority within the religious movement he led.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on wood panel, measuring 37 cm in height by 23.5 cm in width. Cranach renders Luther in half-length portrait format with chiaroscuro modeling that emphasizes facial expression and clerical authority. The surface retains original varnish layers, though fine craquelure is visible across the panel, indicating age-related stress but no structural compromise.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of Martin Luther was created by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1532, executed in oil paint on panel. The work entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, where it remains held. The painting measures 37 cm in height by 23.5 cm in width and depicts the reformer Martin Luther as its main subject.
No information regarding a specific commissioner, prior owners, or intermediate provenance between the work's creation and its acquisition by the Statens Museum for Kunst is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This oil painting, created in 1532, is a portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder. It is currently held at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
