Portrait of a Man in a Black Cap

While working at the court of Frederick the Wise of Saxony in Wittenberg, Cranach specialized in portraiture. For this
likeness, the artist used a technique uncommon in northern European drawing of the early 1500s: brush and oil paint on
paper. The white highlights of the oil paint in the face contrast with the brown ground, making the sitter seem to emerge
from the shadows and enhancing the illusion of his presence. His sharp, penetrating gaze enhances the effect.