Portrait of the Duchess Barbara of Saxony, 1478-1534 (wife of George the Bearded) 1537 - 1553

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted this small portrait of Duchess Barbara of Saxony in the early 16th century. Cranach was a court painter in Wittenberg, Germany, and his portraits provide a window into the world of the Northern Renaissance elite. Looking at the painting, we see Barbara adorned in the fashion of the time, from her elaborate headdress to her jeweled necklace. These details tell us about the importance of status and the visual codes that reinforced social hierarchy. The cool detachment of her gaze conveys a sense of dynastic power. The Reformation was beginning during Cranach's time, and it would profoundly influence the social and political landscape of Northern Europe. Cranach himself was a friend of Martin Luther and produced art that supported the Protestant cause. As historians, we can look at court records and religious writings to understand better how the Reformation shaped the lives of people like Duchess Barbara. The meaning of art, and even something like a simple portrait, shifts over time as the social context changes.