Portrait of Louis II, king van Hungary

Hans Krell, a German painter active at the Hungarian court, portrayed King Louis II of Hungary in 1522. Louis II, the last Jagiellonian king of Hungary and Bohemia, would die just four years later at the Battle of Mohács in 1526, fighting the Ottoman Empire. This portrait thus captures a young monarch whose early death would reshape the political map of Central Europe. The painting is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

The royal portrait combines the conventions of Central European court portraiture with attention to the young king's individual features. The rendering of royal insignia and rich costume conveys the sovereign's rank and authority.