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Oil on copper Germany, 16th century Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) – significant German painter and graphic artist of the Renaissance Inscribed ‘Heinrich Herzog / zu Sachsen gebo: 1473 / 16 März gestor: 1541/1 Augusti’ (central right) After a lost portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1537 Overall dimensions, framed: 53.5 x 47.5 cm Provenance: German Private Collection A royal portrait after an original by one of the most significant painters of the Renaissance The painting is the work of an artist active in the circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) and portrays Henry the Pious, the Duke of Saxony from 1539 to 1541. Here he is shown in full armor holding a lance – signifying the duke’s status – in front of a dark background. Although Henry was not a belligerent ruler, he had an interest in collecting armory. The present painting relates to a lost portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1537, formerly in Dresden. A full-length portrait of the younger duke from 1514 is held at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden together with a portrait of his wife Katharina von Mecklenburg. During his lifetime Cranach was a renowned painter who often received commissions from royal courts across Germany. The painting is in a visually appealing condition. There are some retouchings to the background and along the edges as well as to the armor and two small areas of the face. The work is inscribed ‘Heinrich Herzog / zu Sachsen gebo: 1473 / 16 März gestor: 1541/1 Augusti’. The frame shows wear. The framed work measures 53.5 x 47.5 cm. The copper plate measures 39.9 x 32.2 cm. Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) Lucas Cranach the Elder received his first artistic training from his father. After that, he probably went travelling. In 1501 he moved to Vienna, where he established contacts with leading humanists. In 1505 he was hired in Wittenberg as court painter to Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, and took over the painter’s workshop in the castle. He also became interested in printmaking. In Wittenberg, Cranach, as a land owner and publisher, was a respected and influential personality. The artist made the acquaintance of Albrecht Dürer, Philipp Melanchthon and Martin Luther. He received numerous commissions from nobles and his Protestant friends. Cranach became particularly well-known for his secular and allegorical nudes that were completely new to the German painting tradition. Cranach was very productive and had built a well-organized workshop, which he later bequeathed to his son. A total of around 5,000 paintings are believed to have been created by the artist and his studio. Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.