Who painted Portrait of Jakob Muffel?

Portrait of Jakob Muffel was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1526.

Where can I see Portrait of Jakob Muffel?

Portrait of Jakob Muffel is held by Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

What movement is Portrait of Jakob Muffel?

Portrait of Jakob Muffel is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of Jakob Muffel?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of Jakob Muffel are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of Jakob Muffel

Albrecht Dürer , 1526

Portrait of Jakob Muffel is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1526 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

About this work

This oil portrait was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1526. It shows a man named Jakob Muffel. The work is small and precise, typical of Dürer’s style.

Dürer signed and dated the painting himself. That was unusual back then—most artists didn’t sign every work.

It lives at the Gemäldegalerie Berlin today. You can see it there. Try looking up Albrecht Dürer.

Overview

Albrecht Dürer’s oil portrait of Jakob Muffel, dated 1526, is a modestly sized panel now in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie. The work presents the Nuremberg burgomaster in a restrained, finely rendered manner characteristic of Dürer’s mature portraiture, and bears the artist’s signature and date on the lower edge.

Subject & Meaning

Jakob Muffel, who served as Nuremberg’s burgomaster in 1526, is depicted with the sober dignity expected of a civic official. The portrait’s direct gaze and controlled composition emphasize the sitter’s authority and public role, reflecting the humanist interest in individual character that permeated the German Renaissance.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on a small wooden panel, the painting demonstrates Dürer’s meticulous handling of surface and light. Fine brushwork delineates the textures of fabric and skin, while subtle tonal modeling creates a three‑dimensional presence. The restrained palette and precise detailing align with Dürer’s later focus on realism and anatomical accuracy.

History & Provenance

Created in Dürer’s native Nuremberg, the portrait was likely commissioned alongside a similarly sized likeness of Hieronymus Holzschuher. Both works may have been intended for a municipal celebration and displayed in the town hall. After remaining in private hands, the panel entered the Berlin Gemäldegalerie’s collection, where it remains on public view.

Context

The year 1526 also saw Dürer paint portraits of Johann Kleberger and Holzschuher, indicating a period of intense civic portraiture in Nuremberg. The painting coincides with Dürer’s donation of his Four Apostles panels to the city, suggesting a broader program of artistic patronage linked to municipal identity.