Portrait of Henry IV, the Pious, Duke of Saxony
1514 Lucas Cranach, the elder
oil on panel transferred to canvas
Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Duke Henry (1473-1541), also formerly (and formally) Margrave of Meissen and Lord of Friesland, was a late bloomer you might say. He didn't marry until he was 39 and, as second son, and unfortunately a male in a family of longevity among its members, the duchy he yearned to rule wasn't his until he was 66 years old.
Cranach's full-length portrait of Heinrich the Devout was the artist's first official portrait. He sets the duke against a dark background. He is wearing an elaborate red and yellow leather robe with multiple decorative slits and a matching leather coat in green and yellow. On his head he wears a red and white hat that seems to have no crown. For some reason Henry's hat reminds me of a floral crown that a Hawaiian monarch might wear. Perhaps as we have seen in other Cranach wedding portraits where the women are wearing elaborate flowers in their hair this is the male version?Completing Henry's ensemble are two massive gold chains and a third twisted gold choker with a jeweled, clasping hands pendant. He is about to pull his sword from its sheath with both hands, the fingers of which are decorated with numerous gold rings.The largest of these rings seems to be a tiny coat of arms set with gems. The colors of both Henry's and Catherine's portrait clothing are said to echo the colors of the Saxony coat of arms.Since this was a double portrait by Cranach I will continue with a description of Duchess Catherine's costume. While Henry's sleeves are huge and over-sized Catherine's are slender and tightfitting as they move down her arm. The gown with front gold lacing across the bodice has narrow paned sleeves with her white chemise puffing out at the elbows. Catherine's sumptuous dress is further decorated by pearl-accented embroidery at the bust and heavy gold necklaces in the German style. Her fingers have no less than 14 individual bejeweled gold rings. A white cartouche on Catherine's portrait bears the date, Cranach's initials, and his winged snake symbol marking the painting as from the Cranach workshop.The marriage seems to have been a good one. The couple had 6 children, all of whom lived a long life save one. Their zealous adherence to the new Lutheran faith probably bound them even closer. Catherine sympathized early with Martin Luther's teachings, while her husband suppressed the Reformation until 1536 for fear of his brother, the reigning Duke George the Bearded..When Duke George tried to bear down on Catherine, she told the envoy: wedding dresses for big bust You could do me a big favor by leaving Freiberg right now . In 1539, after the death of Duke George, the couple moved to Dresden and brought the Reformation there and made it the state religion in Saxony. Duke Henry died on 18 August 1541, at the age of 68, only two short years after becoming Duke of Saxony. Catherine outlived him by 20 years. She spent her last days in Wolkenstein castle. In 1560, she published a book on etiquette for ladies, which is culturally and historically very interesting.Please open the pictures to see the details from above.
Cranach's full-length portrait of Heinrich the Devout was the artist's first official portrait. He sets the duke against a dark background. He is wearing an elaborate red and yellow leather robe with multiple decorative slits and a matching leather coat in green and yellow. On his head he wears a red and white hat that seems to have no crown. For some reason Henry's hat reminds me of a floral crown that a Hawaiian monarch might wear. Perhaps as we have seen in other Cranach wedding portraits where the women are wearing elaborate flowers in their hair this is the male version?Completing Henry's ensemble are two massive gold chains and a third twisted gold choker with a jeweled, clasping hands pendant. He is about to pull his sword from its sheath with both hands, the fingers of which are decorated with numerous gold rings.The largest of these rings seems to be a tiny coat of arms set with gems. The colors of both Henry's and Catherine's portrait clothing are said to echo the colors of the Saxony coat of arms.Since this was a double portrait by Cranach I will continue with a description of Duchess Catherine's costume. While Henry's sleeves are huge and over-sized Catherine's are slender and tightfitting as they move down her arm. The gown with front gold lacing across the bodice has narrow paned sleeves with her white chemise puffing out at the elbows. Catherine's sumptuous dress is further decorated by pearl-accented embroidery at the bust and heavy gold necklaces in the German style. Her fingers have no less than 14 individual bejeweled gold rings. A white cartouche on Catherine's portrait bears the date, Cranach's initials, and his winged snake symbol marking the painting as from the Cranach workshop.The marriage seems to have been a good one. The couple had 6 children, all of whom lived a long life save one. Their zealous adherence to the new Lutheran faith probably bound them even closer. Catherine sympathized early with Martin Luther's teachings, while her husband suppressed the Reformation until 1536 for fear of his brother, the reigning Duke George the Bearded..When Duke George tried to bear down on Catherine, she told the envoy: wedding dresses for big bust You could do me a big favor by leaving Freiberg right now . In 1539, after the death of Duke George, the couple moved to Dresden and brought the Reformation there and made it the state religion in Saxony. Duke Henry died on 18 August 1541, at the age of 68, only two short years after becoming Duke of Saxony. Catherine outlived him by 20 years. She spent her last days in Wolkenstein castle. In 1560, she published a book on etiquette for ladies, which is culturally and historically very interesting.Please open the pictures to see the details from above.
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