Copy of Luther as an Augustinian Friar, Half Length
Original title: Copy of Luther as an Augustinian Friar, Half Length
kurzbeschreibung
Dated 1520, this woodcut by an anonymous sixteenth-century German artist presents Martin Luther as a half-length figure in the habit of an Augustinian monk. The sheet measures 15.2 × 12.2 cm and is the third state of eight.
Description
A man in the Augustinian habit appears with his gaze turned to the left. His face, with pronounced features and a short beard, is worked in detail. The collar bears the inscription 'Luther'. A monk's cell with a wooden ceiling and a door open a crack forms the setting; at upper right is the date '1520'. The lines are drawn precisely, and the image remains monochrome with even lighting.
Context
In 1520, a year after the Leipzig Disputation and before the Edict of Worms, Luther was already widely known. By portraying him as an Augustinian monk, the print emphasizes his then membership in the order, which he gave up only in 1524. This sheet is a copy after a lost original and went through several states—evidence of the strong demand for Luther portraits in those years.
Impact
The clear lines and the exact rendering of the face give the portrait a direct presence. The calm, frontal arrangement with the name on the collar makes the sheet an early witness to mass distribution in the Reformation era.
Technique
For a woodcut, the design is cut into a block of wood and then pulled onto paper. That eight states exist and this is the third points to repeated revision and reuse of the printing block. The monochrome reproduction and even linework correspond to Renaissance woodcut practice.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)