Head of an Old Man (Nicodemus?)

Baldung's Head of an Old Man (possibly Nicodemus) from around 1530 may depict the Pharisee who visited Christ by night and later helped bury his body—a figure of secret faith who only revealed himself publicly after Christ's death. The possible Nicodemus identification would give this head study a devotional dimension beyond pure character observation, connecting the aged face's psychological complexity to the theological theme of hidden belief made manifest. Baldung's head studies of elderly men combine the tradition of physiognomic character study derived from Dürer with his characteristic expressive intensity, creating images that challenge the boundary between portrait and devotional type. The 1530 date places this in his fully mature period when his technical command was at its most assured.

The elderly face is rendered with intense psychological observation, Baldung's precise technique capturing the character's thoughtful, questioning expression.