Martin Luther as an Augustinian Monk 1520 Lucas Cranach the Elder German This small engraving shows Martin Luther as a monk of the Augustinian Order, which he joined in 1506. Lucas Cranach was a close friend and staunch supporter of Luther, who, in addition to producing some of the most lifelike images of the man, conveyed an abiding Lutheran spirit in many of his paintings and prints. This image was produced in 1520, the year Luther published a series of pamphlets in which he questioned the church's sale of indulgences and denied the supremacy of the pope. Cranach supervised the printing of the pamphlets. The Medieval Latin inscription that runs beneath the image implies that, though Luther's reflections may be eternal, this piece of paper, its subject, and its artist will all pass away. Directly below the date in Roman numerals, Cranach included his insignia of a crowned winged serpent with a ring in its mouth, which was based on the coat of arms conferred on the artist by Elector Fr