Elector John Frederick the Magnanimous of Saxony

Georg Pencz’s largescale engraving includes over a dozen coats-of-arms. Frederick and his nephew supported Martin Luther and the Reformation, through both direct financial aid as well as through their support of the artistic propaganda machine directed by Lucas Cranach and his workshop. Indeed, the floral crest at John Frederick’s right elbow represents the Luther Rose, a bold symbol of his commitment to Lutheranism.