Epitaph for a Child in a Shroud

[Christoph Schmidt, Gemäldegalerie Berlin; Feb. 2015]

PIGMENTS: (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy)

At all the points measured lead was detected (probably a lead based pigment in the ground or the imprimatur).

Red 1 (coat of arms): vermilion, lead white; 3, 15 (flesh paint): some vermilion, lead white; 4 (blood): vermilion, 5 (reddish clouds): some vermilion, lead white, probably carbon black, possibly some ochre.

Orange 11 (coat of arms): probably ochre, lead white

Grey 6 (clouds): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black, some copper based pigments; 7, 16 (cross; coat of arms): lead white, probably carbon black; (dark horizon): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black; 9 (lighter horizon): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black

Green 12 (coat of arms): copper based green pigment (probably verdigris), lead-tin-yellow

White 13 (shirt): lead white

Yellow 2, 10 (coat of arms, horizon) lead-tin-yellow

Black 14, 17 (shirt; coat of arms): probably carbon black, a lot of copper based pigment (siccative?)

[Jens Bartoll/SPSG Berlin, Feb. 2015]

optical assessment and radial/tangential section examined employing transmitted light microscopy

Limewood

The outer edges of the panel were thinned and are up to 0,5 cm thick. the thickness of the panel is about 1.2 cm altogether. The wooden panel consists of 3 vertical tangentially cut planks with oblique annual rings. Sapwood and heartwood were glued together. The heartwood side of all planks are on the left side as seen by the viewer and the sapwood on the richt side.

The widths of the planks are as follows (from left to right):

Plank 1: 13.8 cm (top); 14.4 cm (bottom)

Plank 2: 13.3 cm (top); 13.6 cm (bottom)

Plank 3: 8.4 cm (top); 6.9 cm (bottom)

In the area of both the joins triangular wooden keys were inserted with their points inwards. These might be original. there is a rebate of 0.7 cm in depth and 1 cm in width.

Pale white chalk ground thatextends to the edges of the panel. There is no barbe. Lead white detected over the entire painting using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy suggests the presence of an imprimatura containing lead white.

Lines are visible on the mouth/lips, the hair, the hands, left of the beret - possibly a freehand drawing or traced from a pre-existing design; the painted version deviates slightly from the underdrawing (corrections were made to the hands).

An underdrawing is only clearly visible at the bottom right coat of arms. Saponification of paint layers containing lead white reveal slighty shifted forms beneath the painted version. Under high magnification single points are visible that are joined by a drawing implement with a chalky line. It may be assumed that it was pounced. In the left coat of arms lines applied in a watery medium with a brush. Here the painted version also deviates slightly from the underdrawing. In both cases the underdrawing appears more detailed. In the body, above all on Christ's stomach, single lines can be discerned that might have been executed with a stylus.

the right part of the head and the torso of the child were originally positioned further to the right. Darkening in the paint layers suggests the presence of pentimenti.

PIGMENTS: (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy)

At all the points measured lead was detected (probably a lead based pigment in the ground or the imprimatur).

Red 1 (coat of arms): vermilion, lead white; 3, 15 (flesh paint): some vermilion, lead white; 4 (blood): vermilion, 5 (reddish clouds): some vermilion, lead white, probably carbon black, possibly some ochre.

Orange 11 (coat of arms): probably ochre, lead white

Grey 6 (clouds): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black, some copper based pigments; 7, 16 (cross; coat of arms): lead white, probably carbon black; (dark horizon): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black; 9 (lighter horizon): smalt (faded), lead white, probably carbon black

Green 12 (coat of arms): copper based green pigment (probably verdigris), lead-tin-yellow

White 13 (shirt): lead white

Yellow 2, 10 (coat of arms, horizon) lead-tin-yellow

Black 14, 17 (shirt; coat of arms): probably carbon black, a lot of copper based pigment (siccative?)

The ground consists of a pale white layer that extends beyond the right edge and is raised in sections. There is no barbe. Small losses and later reworking of the other sides precludes any comments on the original condition. The bottom edge has been cropped. The binding medium was not analysed. Later alterations compromised interpretation under the stereomicroscope but as far as could be established there is an ochre coloured imprimatur. The background was applied first over this layer holding the figure, the cross, the loincloth and the ground beneath the cross in reserve. The image was then worked up generally by applying light, shadow and textural details to a base tone. Finally highlights were specifically added and the deepest shadows were executed. The outlines do not always indicate the painted sequence, for example if in this context outlines overlap subsequently painted areas. Highlights were applied with a thicker paint. This is clearly evident in raking light. The lighter sections of the painting were - as is shown by the x-radiograph and confirmed by pigment analysis - painted employing a paint containing lead like lead white or lead-tin-yellow. The clouds, the coat of arms and the child were painted last. The green areas were applied in two layers a brighter green was applied over a duller one. The flesh paint is modulated in the initial layer and glazes were then added to indicate shadows.

The present varnish is not original.

Not original frame

Profiled battens, gilded, stained dark, sgraffitto

74 cm x 61.5 cm x 6.6 cm (glazed)

Support:

The painting exhibits numerous damages and a slight convex warp. The greatest distance between the contact surface and the reverse of the panel is 1.9 cm. The rebate on the reverse has been reduced to about 2 mm along the bottom edge. Moreover in this area some filled and retouched losses are visible in the wood. Furthermore at a later stage vertical parallel slits were made in the reverse of the panel in an attempt to return it to plane. The slits were filled with thin, folded strips of cardboard and in some places a glue paste bulked with paper, straw and wood fibres was added. This intervention together with the thinning of the panel (confirmed by the open channels) has substantially weakened the stability of the panel. Fixing it rigidly in a flat position appears to have created tension within the panel and vertical splits have developed in the area of the slits. Three splits extend from the top to the bottom through the entire image. The central split exhibits a slight step. Two further shorter vertical splits parallel to the right edge run from the bottom edge into the picture plane. The warp in the panel was not corrected by the intervention. The individual planks exhibit a washboard effect and the entire panel has a convex warp. Dents in the wood are visible at the bottom edge and isolated along the right edge. In addition there is a loss at the bottom left corner.

Paint Layers:

The paint layers exhibit a prominent cracquelé that is to a greater extent vertical in the direction of the grain. There are two spiral cracks at the right beside the feet of the child. In raking light occasional tenting is visible, but it is firmly embedded in a thick layer of varnish and therefore not loose. Small losses in the ground and paint layers are visible above all along the edges. In addition there are small and larger scratches in the surface. The paint layers are abraded. Observations in UV-light showed that the painting has been extensively reworked. This intervention was carried out during two different periods. Fills, retouches and overpaint are dispersed along the right join as well as along the edge of the panel and over the entire surface. In the sky faded smalt appears to have shifted the colour from blue to grey.

At least two discrete varnish layers are present. At the very bottom there is a relatively thick yellowed varnish. In the area with the stones below the shaft of the cross this old varnish has been partially removed (perhaps during an attempted varnish removal). The last varnish is very glossy. Matt areas and dark fuzz embedded in the upper varnish layer are visible at the top, bottom and left edges.

After purchase by the Deutsches Historisches Museum the painting was only subject to preventative measures. There is no documentation available regarding earlier interventions.

[Deutsches Historisches Museum, revised 2016]