Portrait of Magdalena of Saxony, Wife of Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg

Museum record 87760: Portrait of Magdalena of Saxony, Wife of Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg by Lucas Cranach the Elder. A verified entry point for dis…

What to notice

For Portrait of Magdalena of Saxony, Wife of Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg (record 87760), start with modern, expressive, atmospheric. Compare the focal subject, edge treatment, and atmosphere before moving on.

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As court painter to the electors of Saxony, Lucas Cranach the Elder developed a portrait style that catered to his patrons’ concern with dynastic continuity by emphasizing their princely status through careful depictions of their sumptuous garb and lavish jewelry. The artist’s attention to such details enabled the identification of this sitter: a signet ring in a companion portrait of her husband in the Philadelphia Museum of Art reveals her to be the Saxon princess Magdalena. A watercolor showing Magdal…