Martin Luther as an Augustinian Monk posthum

Cranach the Elder was the official painter of the Protestant Reformation in Saxony and produced numerous portraits of Martin Luther, who was a personal friend. This posthumous portrait of Luther as an Augustinian monk — the habit he wore before establishing the Reformation — dates from around 1600, likely a workshop copy after Cranach's earlier portraits. Luther's Augustinian identity before his break with Rome was historically significant as the origin point of his theological development.

Luther is shown in the black Augustinian habit, probably in three-quarter profile following Cranach's established portrait formula for the reformer. The handling has the slightly stiff, formulaic character of workshop copies intended for wide distribution rather than new creative work.