Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel]

Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel]

Title

Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel]

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 219]

Painting on wood, transferred to canvas

Medium

Painting on wood, transferred to canvas

[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 113-114, No. 219]

The central panel depicts Jesus as the man of sorrows with his wounds. The Virgin sits to his left in timeless dress. She turns towards him and holds the upper arm of her son in her left hand. St John sits to the right of Jesus and is also turned

The central panel depicts Jesus as the man of sorrows with his wounds. The Virgin sits to his left in timeless dress. She turns towards him and holds the upper arm of her son in her left hand. St John sits to the right of Jesus and is also turned towards him. He holds Jesus' left arm in both hands.

At the top of the panel there are a multitude of Putti with the instruments of the passion, including the cross, the crown of thorns and nails.

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 113-114, No. 219]

Production date
1534

Production date

1534

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 112 x 99 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 112 x 99 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia between the knees of Christ: inscribed with serpent und date '1534'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia between the knees of Christ: inscribed with serpent und date '1534'

  • [Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]

  • [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 113-114, No. 219]

Owner
Hochstift Meißen
Repository
Dom zu Meißen
Location
Meissen
CDA ID
DE_DM_NONE-02
FR (1978) Nr.
FR219
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DM_NONE-02/

Provenance

  • presumably commissioned by the elector after the death of his wife (17.01.1534)
    [Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 113-114, No. 219]

Exhibitions

Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Heydenreich 2015 124, Fn. 61
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleHans Cranach. Auf der Suche nach seinem verlorenen Oeuvre
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5415/6232/3883/Heydenreich_2015_-_Hans_Cranach.pdf
Pages116 -127
Show Literature
Nurre 2015 258, 259 Fig. 2
AuthorAnastasia Nurre
TitleMemorializing Christian Authority. Secular Leadership and Lutheran Ideology in 'Epitaph for Johannes Bugenhagen'
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages256-265
Show Literature
Schuchardt 2015 A 21
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitleCranach und Luther-Aspekte einer Partnerschaft
Publicationin Günther Schuchardt, ed., Cranach, Luther und die Bildnisse, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2015
Pages10-23
Show Literature
Tacke 2015 86
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleGleich dem Kaninchen vor der Schlange? Altgläubige und die Wittenberger Bildpropaganda.
Publicationin Julia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha and Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, eds., Bild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel]
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2015
Pages82-90
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 235-236 156 pp. 235, 259
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Messling 2010 17
AuthorGuido Messling
TitleBlicke auf Cranach
Publicationin Guido Messling, ed., Die Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys, Exhib. Cat. Brussels
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Pages12-25
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 113-114 No. 219 Fig. 219
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 180-181
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899 061
EditorKarl Woermann
TitleDeutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1899
Link http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The choice of the inscription may have been prompted by an argument between Georg and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth in 1533/34 about the rank/position of women at supper.

[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 235-236, No. 156]

After the death of his wife Georg allowed his beard, which is short in the portrait on the Altar, to grow. The portrait of the duchess is based on a much earlier one.

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 113-114, No. 219]

Connected Works

Altarpiece of George the Bearded [right wing]
  • Altarpiece of George the Bearded [right wing], 1534
  • DE_DM_NONE-03
  • Painting
  • Hochstift Meißen
Altarpiece of George the Bearded [left wing]
  • Altarpiece of George the Bearded [left wing], 1534
  • DE_DM_NONE-01
  • Painting
  • Hochstift Meißen
  • Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel], 1534

Images

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Documents

Technical studies

10. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
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10. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush ; in combination with dark chalk (hands)?

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing ?

- broader and fine lines; barely visible

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1980Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Micro-sampling / cross-sections
  • examined by Petra Barkowsky

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DM_NONE-02/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Altarpiece of George the Bearded [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DM_NONE-02/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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