Artwork
Augustus Hertzog zu Sachsen
Augustus Hertzog zu Sachsen is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jakob Lucius the Elder. It dates from 1564 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1564, this hand‑coloured woodcut portrays a dignified figure identified as Augustus Hertzog zu Sachsen. Executed on laid paper, the print combines bold outlines with flat, vivid pigments that highlight the subject’s white beard, gold‑embroidered robe, and the pair of round badges positioned above his head.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a solemn, bearded man dressed in a dark, ornamented garment and a ruff collar, holding a bundle of white feathers in a gloved hand. The two circular emblems—one red with a cross, the other green and black with stripes—function as symbolic crowns, underscoring his noble status and heraldic affiliations.
Technique & Style
The work employs the woodcut process, in which a design is carved into a wooden block, inked, and pressed onto paper. After printing, the image was hand‑coloured, a common practice in the mid‑16th century to enrich the monochrome woodcut with bright hues such as gold, green, and red, set against a brown ground.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the German printmaker Jakob Lucius the Elder, the piece reflects the artist’s engagement with portraiture for aristocratic patrons. The inscription of titles in elaborate German script at the top of the image indicates its original function as a commemorative or documentary portrait for the Saxon court.
Context
The print belongs to a period when woodcut portraiture served both decorative and propagandistic purposes, disseminating images of high‑ranking officials across courts. Its flat colour application and detailed heraldic symbols align with contemporary trends in Northern European printmaking, where clarity of line and emblematic representation were prized.
Artist & collection
![John Frederic the Magnanimous, in Electoral Robes [right], by German 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/german-16th-century--john-frederic-the-magnanimous-in-electoral-robes-right--eb7137bb5d2f9f23-w320.webp)
