Copy of Emperor Charles V
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 7/8 × 10 11/16 in. (35.3 × 27.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
18.17.2-50
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold this striking woodcut, *Copy of Emperor Charles*, crafted by Lucas Cranach the Younger, master of the German Renaissance. Produced in his family's renowned workshop—famed for its vivid portraits and Protestant propaganda—this print captures the formidable Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, armed with a sword as suggested by its motifs of men and weaponry. Though the exact date remains unknown, it reflects the Cranach studio's peak productivity in the mid-16th century, woodcuts became vital tools for spreading imperial imagery across Europe. Woodcuts like this one were revolutionary for thei...