Augustus, Elector of Saxony (1526-1586)

Cranach the Younger's skill in portraiture is evident in the detailed rendering of Augustus's clothing and the subtle contrast between the dark attire and the small gold cross on his chest. The plain background with a green arch above the sitter provides a simple yet effective foil to the subject's elaborate dress.

The painting is now held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, continuing the legacy of Cranach the Younger's work in Wittenberg, where he followed in the footsteps of his father, Lucas Cranach the Elder.