Martin Luther c. 1800

This portrait of Martin Luther, painted by Frederick Kemmelmeyer around 1800, depicts the religious reformer in a dignified and scholarly setting. Luther is shown standing in a room, wearing a black robe and holding a book, while a swan stands at his side and a large Bible lies on the floor. The scene is filled with details that reflect Luther’s legacy as a theologian and religious leader, including the bookshelves in the background and the hourglass on the table. This portrait exemplifies the neoclassical style, which was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and emphasized order, balance, and rationality.