Johann I (1468–1532), the Constant, Elector of Saxony (1532–33, Met-Objekt 2435)
Original title: Johann I (1468–1532), the Constant, Elector of Saxony
kurzbeschreibung
Johann I, called the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony, is shown half-length against a plain ground, accompanied by an inscription and a block of text. Lucas Cranach the Elder painted this likeness in 1532–33, first in oil on wood before it was later transferred to canvas.
Description
Over a white shirt with a decorated collar band, the sitter wears a fur coat, and a black cap sits on his head. A muted turquoise blue with a slight texture fills the background. At upper left a small shield with an inscription names the man and his titles, while along the lower edge run printed lines of a text panel, likely a poem or an explanatory note. The tones stay subdued throughout, and the brushstrokes remain visible.
Context
As court painter to the Saxon electors, Cranach portrayed Johann I on several occasions. The version of 1532–33 was made shortly after the ruler's death and is probably a posthumous portrait, rooted in the Reformation and in the elector's commemoration. That the picture was transferred from wood to canvas and fitted with paper labels points to a later restoration or reworking.
Impact
Dignified and restrained, the elector presents himself, largely through the plain frontal arrangement and his dark clothing. The face and hands draw the eye because the turquoise field of the background sets them off sharply against the dark passages. The added texts lend the portrait something documentary and memorial.
Technique
The painting was executed in oil on wood before being transferred to canvas. Visible brushstrokes and the texture of the background are consistent with sixteenth-century painting practice. The attached letterpress-printed paper labels suggest later intervention.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)