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Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 Before a Green Curtain & Book Shelves martin Luther signed/inscribed: "Martin / Luther" oil on Copper 16 X 13 Cm.
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£2,500

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Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 Before a Green Curtain & Book Shelves martin Luther signed/inscribed: "Martin / Luther" oil on Copper 16 X 13 Cm.

17th century
For Sale by Artware Fineart
Description

Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737

Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 before a green Curtain & Book Shelves

Martin Luther

Signed/Inscribed:

"MARTIN / LUTHER"

oil on copper

16 x 13 cm.

Martin Luther, (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, priest, author, composer, Augustinian monk, and a seminal figure in the Reformation. Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. He came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; in particular, he disputed the view on indulgences. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Holy Roman Emperor.

Luther taught that salvation and, consequently, eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority and office of the pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge, and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with these, and all of Luther's wider teachings, are called Lutherans, though Luther insisted on Christian or Evangelical (German: evangelisch) as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ.

His translation of the Bible into the German vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible to the laity, an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the writing of an English translation, the Tyndale Bible.His hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora, a former nun, set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant clergy to marry.

In two of his later works, Luther expressed antagonistic, violent views towards Jews and called for the burnings of their synagogues and their deaths. His rhetoric was not directed at Jews alone but also towards Roman Catholics, Anabaptists, and nontrinitarian Christians. Luther died in 1546 with Pope Leo X's excommunication still in effect.

Early life

Birth and education

Portraits of Hans and Margarethe Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1527

Former monks' dormitory, St Augustine's Monastery, Erfurt

Martin Luther was born to Hans Luder (or Ludher, later Luther) and his wife Margarethe (née Lindemann) on 10 November 1483 in Eisleben, County of Mansfeld in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther was baptized the next morning on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours. His family moved to Mansfeld in 1484, where his father was a leaseholder of copper mines and smelters and served as one of four citizen representatives on the local council; in 1492 he was elected as a town councilor. The religious scholar Martin Marty describes Luther's mother as a hard-working woman of "trading-class stock and middling means" and notes that Luther's enemies later wrongly described her as a whore and bath attendant.

He had several brothers and sisters and is known to have been close to one of them, Jacob.Hans Luther was ambitious for himself and his family, and he was determined to see Martin, his eldest son, become a lawyer. He sent Martin to Latin schools in Mansfeld, then Magdeburg in 1497, where he attended a school operated by a lay group called the Brethren of the Common Life, and Eisenach in 1498.The three schools focused on the so-called "trivium": grammar, rhetoric, an

Physical Dimensions
Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Declaration

Artware Fineart has dated this Oil on Copper Portrait to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA780969
Dealers Internal Reference
4362
Description
Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737

Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 before a green Curtain & Book Shelves

Martin Luther

Signed/Inscribed:

"MARTIN / LUTHER"

oil on copper

16 x 13 cm.

Martin Luther, (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, priest, author, composer, Augustinian monk, and a seminal figure in the Reformation.
Artware Fineart

Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. He came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; in particular, he disputed the view on indulgences. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Holy Roman Emperor.

fig 1. A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.
fig 1. Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 Before a Green Curtain & Book Shelves martin Luther signed/inscribed: "Martin / Luther" oil on Copper 16 X 13 Cm.

Luther taught that salvation and, consequently, eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority and office of the pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge, and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with these, and all of Luther's wider teachings, are called Lutherans, though Luther insisted on Christian or Evangelical (German: evangelisch) as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ.

fig 2. A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.
fig 2. Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 Before a Green Curtain & Book Shelves martin Luther signed/inscribed: "Martin / Luther" oil on Copper 16 X 13 Cm.

His translation of the Bible into the German vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible to the laity, an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the writing of an English translation, the Tyndale Bible.His hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora, a former nun, set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant clergy to marry.

In two of his later works, Luther expressed antagonistic, violent views towards Jews and called for the burnings of their synagogues and their deaths. His rhetoric was not directed at Jews alone but also towards Roman Catholics, Anabaptists, and nontrinitarian Christians. Luther died in 1546 with Pope Leo X's excommunication still in effect.

Early life

Birth and education

Portraits of Hans and Margarethe Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1527

Former monks' dormitory, St Augustine's Monastery, Erfurt

Martin Luther was born to Hans Luder (or Ludher, later Luther) and his wife Margarethe (née Lindemann) on 10 November 1483 in Eisleben, County of Mansfeld in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther was baptized the next morning on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours. His family moved to Mansfeld in 1484, where his father was a leaseholder of copper mines and smelters and served as one of four citizen representatives on the local council; in 1492 he was elected as a town councilor. The religious scholar Martin Marty describes Luther's mother as a hard-working woman of "trading-class stock and middling means" and notes that Luther's enemies later wrongly described her as a whore and bath attendant.

He had several brothers and sisters and is known to have been close to one of them, Jacob.Hans Luther was ambitious for himself and his family, and he was determined to see Martin, his eldest son, become a lawyer. He sent Martin to Latin schools in Mansfeld, then Magdeburg in 1497, where he attended a school operated by a lay group called the Brethren of the Common Life, and Eisenach in 1498.The three schools focused on the so-called "trivium": grammar, rhetoric, an

Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Date of Manufacture

Artware Fineart has dated this Oil on Copper Portrait to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA780969
Dealers Internal Ref
4362
Artware Fineart
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2008
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Artware Fineart Profile Page

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A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.
1 / 3
Archive I A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.

Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 Before a Green Curtain & Book Shelves martin Luther signed/inscribed: "Martin / Luther" oil on Copper 16 X 13 Cm.

Archive II A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain. View II
Archive III A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain. View III
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A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.
Attributed to John Scougall, 1657-1737 Portrait of Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 before a green Curtain & Book Shelves Martin Luther Signed/Inscribed: "MARTIN / LUTHER" oil on copper 16 x 13 cm.
Ref: SA780969
A small oil portrait painted on a copper plate depicting Martin Luther against a background of bookshelves and a green curtain.
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Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Oil painting on copper plates emerged in Europe during the mid-16th century and peaked in popularity during the 17th century. The rigid, non-porous surface allowed artists to achieve minute detail and smooth enamel-like paint surfaces without canvas grain.

Artists used hammered sheet copper, often treated with garlic juice or an oil-based primer to assist pigment adhesion, followed by layers of oil paint ground with mineral and organic pigments.

Authentic period examples feature hand-hammered copper plates displaying uneven thickness, historical oxidation patterns on the reverse, natural paint crazing, and evidence of historical pigment compositions.

Small oil portraits function well integrated into gallery walls, resting on dark wooden bookshelves alongside leather-bound volumes, or placed as a focal point in a coat room or hallway space.

Keep the painting in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight and moisture. Dust gently using a soft dry brush, avoiding liquid cleaners or solvents, and consult a professional conservator for varnish restoration.
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