'Portrait of a Scholar or Preacher'

Portrait of a Scholar or Preacher
Anonymous, German ca. 1529
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The cap is of a type worn by scholars and preachers,
among others, and the small book that the sitter holds up
could be a devotional work or, if he is a scholar, his own publication.
A fur-lined mantle was not a luxury: houses were poorly heated in
winter, and everyone dressed warmly inside, especially if seated
for long periods. The sitter's hand appears to be intentionally
presented as deformed. At this period, deformities were
generally viewed as a sign of divine disfavor. The
inclusion of this hand may be the sitter's way
of signaling his acceptance of divine will
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