Clara Oenicke (1818-99) studied under Carl Begas and Eduard Magnus. In 1844 her work was exhibited for the first time, at the Academy exhibition in Berlin. She dealt mostly with subjects drawn from German history, in addition to painting portraits and religious scenes. The Staatliche Museum, Schwerin, has examples of her work, including a portrait of Count von Waldersee, dated 1871.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, Catholic priest, and professor of theology, at the forefront of the movement to reform Christianity. His theology taught that the Bible is the only true source of divinely-revealed knowledge, thus bringing him into conflict with the authority of the Papacy in Rome. In his later years he translated the Bible from Hebrew and Ancient Greek into German, the completed work being published in 1534. This enabling of public access to the text had a huge impact on the church and on German culture, for instance in encouraging the use of a standard form of the German language.

Luther is depicted seated at his desk, translating the bible; facing three quarters to the left, with his face tilted upwards and bathed in light. He wears a grey monk's habit. An open bible rests on his knees, and he holds a quill in his right hand, poised over a sheet of paper, beside which are piles of books.

The Royal Collection has a contemporaneous portait of Luther, attributed to Lucas Cranach the Elder; RCIN 402656.