Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; Portrait of Martin Luther [verso]

Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; Portrait of Martin Luther [verso]

Title

Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; Portrait of Martin Luther [verso]

[cda 2013]

Painting on oak wood

Medium

Painting on oak wood

[cda 2013]

Recto:

The panel is divided into two fields. The upper field depicts the Circumcision of Christ in the temple. The Christ child sits on the Highpriest's lap, two men accompany the scene. The Virgin and Joseph have pulled back a curtain and watch the event from the behind.

The lower field depicts

Recto:

The panel is divided into two fields. The upper field depicts the Circumcision of Christ in the temple. The Christ child sits on the Highpriest's lap, two men accompany the scene. The Virgin and Joseph have pulled back a curtain and watch the event from the behind.

The lower field depicts the Baptism of Christ. Clothed only in a loincloth Christ stands in the foreground up to his knees in water. In the midground a group of five men is visible in a luscious riverlandscape. With outstretched arms God the Father sends the Holy Ghost down to the baptism scene in the guise of a dove.

Verso:

Full-length figure of Martin Luther wearing a black cassock beneath a rounded arch with organic ornamentation in the spandrals. In his hands Luther holds an open book and presents the content to the viewer.

[Görres, cda 2013]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop

[Schade 1974, 96, 98]

Production date
1582

Production date

1582

[central panel dated]

Dimensions
Dimension of painted surface: 166.5 x 59.6 cm (clear dimension)

Dimensions

  • Dimension of painted surface: 166.5 x 59.6 cm (clear dimension)

  • Dimensions including frame: 191 x 84.8 x 6.7 cm

  • [cda 2013]

Signature / Dating

Central panel with artist's insignia winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left, and dated '1582'

Signature / Dating

  • Central panel with artist's insignia winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left, and dated '1582'

  • [cda 2013]

Inscriptions and Labels

Biblical quotation in an open book in Luther's hands [verso]:

'Johannes am III
Also hat Gott die wellt
geliebet, …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • Biblical quotation in an open book in Luther's hands [verso]:

  • 'Johannes am III

  • Also hat Gott die wellt

  • geliebet, das er seinen ein-

  • gebornen son gab, auff das

  • alle, die an in gleuben ni-

  • cht verloren werden, son-

  • dern das ewi-

  • ge leben ha-

  • ben. Den gott hatt seinen

  • Son nicht gesant in die

  • welt, das er die welt richte

  • sondern das die welt, durch

  • in selig werde.'

  • (John 3,16-17)

  • 'An Timotheum

  • Das das ist je gewilich

  • war, vnd ein thewer wer-

  • des wort, das Christus

  • Jesus komen ist in die

  • welt, die Sunder selig

  • zu machen vnter wel-

  • chen ich der furnemester

  • bin, Aber darumb ist

  • mir barhertzigkeit wider-

  • faren Auff das an m[ir]

  • fürnehmlich Jhesus Christus erzeigete Alle gedult Zum Exempel denen die an ihn gleuben sollten.'

  • (1. Timothy 1,15-16)

  • [Kalmbach 2007, 29]

Owner
Johann-Friedrich-Danneil-Museum Salzwedel
Repository
Johann-Friedrich-Danneil-Museum Salzwedel
Location
Salzwedel
CDA ID
DE_JFDMS_K700b
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JFDMS_K700b/

Provenance

  • from the church of the former Franciscan monastery, Salzwedel, there until 1968
    [Kalmbach 2007, 5]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 138, Fn. 80
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
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/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Slenczka 2011 429-435, 439
AuthorRuth Slenczka
TitleStädtische Konfessionskultur im Spiegel der Kirchenausstattung: Die Mönchskirche von Salzwedel und das Weinbergretabel von Lucas Cranach d. J. (1582)
Publicationin Jirí Fajt, Wilfried Franzen, Peter Knüvener, eds., Die Altmark von 1300 bis 1600. Eine Kulturregion im Spannungsfeld von Magdeburg, Lübeck und Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2011
Pages421-439
Kalmbach 2007
AuthorUlrich Kalmbach
TitleDer Weinberg-Altar von Lucas Cranach d. J. aus der Mönchskirche in Salzwedel
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Issue2nd edition
Year of Publication2007
Schulze 2004 195-198, 201-202
AuthorIngrid Schulze
TitleLucas Cranach d. J. und die protestantische Bildkunst in Sachsen und Thüringen. Frömmigkeit, Theologie, Fürstenreformation
Place of PublicationBucha near Jena
Year of Publication2004
Schade 1974
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Schade 1968 B 72
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Epitaphbilder Lucas Cranach d. J.
Publicationin Bozena Steinborn, ed., Ze Studiów nad Sztuka XVI Wieku na Slasku i w Krajach Sasiednich(Materialy z konferencji urzadzonej przez Muzeum Slaskie we Wroclaw 10 i 17 grudnia 1966 roku)
Place of PublicationBreslau
Year of Publication1968
Pages63-76

Research History / Discussion

As there is a half-hinge without a matching piece on the outer edge of the wing's frame (when closed) Szclenska 2011, 429 assumes that the retabel once had a further pair of moveable wings.

[Görres, cda 2013]

  • Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; Portrait of Martin Luther [verso], 1582

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • reverse
  • reverse
  • irr
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

07. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION [recto]

Tools/Materials:

- initial design fixed with a dry drawing material; dark chalk; possibly combined with a fluid, black medium; brush?

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- delicate, fine to thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and indicate the essential features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger or workshop?

DESCRIPTION [Verso]

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material; dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing of the hands

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and indicate the essential features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger or workshop?

Comments:

- probably with reference to a pre-existing design

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich revised 2014]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; P…', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JFDMS_K700b/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Retabel of the Vineyard from the Franciscan church, Salzwedel [left wing]: Circumcision and Baptism of Christ [recto]; P…', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JFDMS_K700b/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.