Male portrait before green base 1497

This is a portrait, made with oil on panel by Albrecht Durer. The painting shows a man dressed in a fur-trimmed coat, set against a simple green background. In its time, portraiture was closely tied to social status, and during the Northern Renaissance in Germany, artists like Dürer played a crucial role in visually defining the emerging merchant class. The detailed realism, attention to the sitter's individual features, and luxurious clothing all signify the sitter's wealth and social standing. Durer's influence came from the traditions of religious painting. He transformed those traditions into a detailed observation of everyday life and portraits of individuals. Understanding Durer’s context requires looking at sources from the period: letters, account books, even clothing inventories, which can reveal the complex interplay between art, identity, and social aspiration in 16th century Germany.