FA000105 – Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1532

Part of the One Minute Wonders trail, a story written by one of our volunteers, inspired by objects on display.

By Andrew Bradstreet

This depicts an obviously important man. We can tell because he had his portrait painted in 1532 when only rich people could afford this. It was painted after his death which seems unusual.

What are your first impressions of him?

You are looking at Frederick the Wise. A painting ordered, with sixty others, by Johann Friedrich I, to show the legitimacy of his own electorate.

Part of the poem says, “for I maintained a beautiful peace in my domain through great wisdom, patience and luck, and against the wiles of many arch villains.”

What pose would you strike in your portrait? Or would you simply take a selfie now? What would you like written about you under it?