Hans Baldung was arguably the most talented of Albrecht Dürer's many pupils. He was a journeyman in the Dürer workshop between 1503 and 1507, exactly the same years as Hans Schäufelein.

This portrait was painted about 1512, shortly after Baldung established himself as an independent artist in Strasbourg. The identity of the sitter is unknown, but his green brocade sleeve and fur collar attest to his wealth. The rose bushes behind him provide another clue and may even be a visual pun on the man's name. More generally, the inclusion of roses in portraits is often intended as a reference to youth.