Martin Luther

Inscribed with Cranach’s signature winged snake and a date of 1546, this is the last official portrait of Martin Luther, the former priest of Wittenberg and catalyst of the Protestant Reformation. Cranach and Luther were close friends: the artist arranged Luther’s marriage to Katherine von Bora, while Luther was godfather to Cranach’s daughter Anna. Fifteen painted portraits survive. This painting is dominated by strong contour lines that define the edges of Luther’s body and the features of his face. Strands of hair are painted individually, and wrinkles are drawn with gray lines. With its solid blue background and textual inscriptions, the image negates any sense of illusionistic space. Its abstract qualities would have made the image easy to copy, as well as underscored the portrait’s iconic function. Cranach’s workshop also produced printed portraits of Luther, which circulated widely, further spreading Luther’s fame and reputation.