Portrait of John Frederic the Magnanimous, Elector and Duke of Saxony

Against a plain blue-green background, the face and upper body of a bearded man are painted large. Beneath a garment with a fur collar can be seen a shirt with an embroidered standing collar and a gold chain. The work measures 37.8 x 39.5 cm, is made in tempera and oil together, and has been transferred from panel to canvas.

The sitter is John Frederick the Magnanimous (reigned 1532-47), the third elector whom Cranach served with loyalty to the end, shown in his younger years. The museum's commentary says that Cranach's realistic skill and deep psychological portrayal reflect the sitter's masculine, distinctive features and bold character. This right-facing half-length figure is thought to have been originally part of the left side of a diptych.

Cranach was invited by Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, in 1505 to become court painter at Wittenberg, and served three generations of electors.