Portrait of Duke Henry the Devout of Saxony 1528

Lucas Cranach the Elder painted this portrait of Duke Henry the Devout of Saxony in the early 16th century, using oil on panel. Cranach was a court painter, so his portraits are always alive to the demands of his patrons and the social conventions of the time. Here, the image asserts the Duke’s status through visual codes of wealth and power. The fur garment and sober black hat speak to his affluence, while the controlled pose and stern expression convey authority. This was Germany during the Reformation, a time when religious and political institutions were under intense pressure. Saxony itself was a hotbed of reformist ideas. What does it mean to portray the Duke as ‘devout’ at this moment? Is this about piety, or more about political alignment? As historians, we can research costume, religious debates, and courtly life to better understand this image. By considering these social and institutional contexts, we can better appreciate how art is a product of its time, reflecting and shaping the world around it.