Martin Luther with Doctoral Cap

Art Historical Context

This delicate engraving, titled *Martin Luther with Doctoral Cap*, captures the reformer in profile, donning his doctoral cap—a symbol of his theological authority from the University of Wittenberg Attributed to Albrecht Altdfer or Lucas Cranach Elder, two Northern Renaissance masters known for their intricate detail and religious imagery, the print measures just 2 3/8 × 1 5/8 inches, ideal for portable devotion or broad dissemination during a turbulent era. Created around the time of the Protestant Reformation (date unknown), it reflects Luther's pivotal role in challenging Catholic doctrine, sparking widespread religious and cultural upheaval. Cranach, a close friend of Luther, frequently portrayed him in woodcuts and paintings to promote Reformation ideals; engravings like this allowed finer lines and broader circulation than woodcuts, making iconic images accessible to the masses. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Felix M. Warburg, 1920), this modest yet powerful profile exemplifies how printmaking fueled the spread of ideas, turning a single portrait into a tool for historical change.

About the Artist

Albrecht Altdorfer|Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1475–1538

Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538) was a German painter, printmaker, and draftsman who stands as one of the founders of landscape painting as an independent genre. Born in Regensburg or nearby Altdorf, he learned art from his father Ulrich, a painter and miniaturist. Altdorfer spent most of his life in Regensburg, becoming a citizen in 1505 and later serving as the city's official architect and a m...