St Martin (Albrecht of Brandenburg)

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 283, No. 25a]

'St Martin can be readily identified as a portrait of the Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg. [...] the St Martin on the Aschaffenburg panel reveals much about Albrecht's self-image and his self-dramatisation. He is depicted as a bishop in extremely pompous pontifical robes - St Martin was initially an officer, but he later became Bishop of Tours. Albrecht was however not satisfied with the bishop's sumptuous ecclesiastical vestments, which were probably fashioned after his own Episcopal insignia in addition a scarlet cap peeps out from beneath his miter and refers to his dignity as a cardinal. He drops a few coins into the bowl of a beggar, who kneels before him.

The pearl embroidery on the pontifical shoes peeping out from under his alba can be clearly seen. In addition to the pearl embroidery there are three coats-of-arms, which have been sewn onto the alba, or undergarment of the bishop. They show a wheel, the coat-of-arms of the archdiocese of Mainz, in the centre the coat-of-arms of the archdiocese of Magdeburg and beside it the coat-of-arms of the diocese of Halberstadt - all three of Albrecht's dioceses.'

[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 283, 284, 286, No. 25a]

Attributions: Simon Franck
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Simon Franck	[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, No. 25]
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Exhib. Cat. Halle 2006, no. 92A]

Dating: 1524 (?)
about 1500 - 1547

Dating

1524 (?)	[cda 2012]
about 1500 - 1547	[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 283, No. 25a]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 121 x 56.5 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 121 x 56.5 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 283, No. 25a]

Signature / Dating: None

Inscriptions: in the halo: 'SANCTVS MARTINVS'

Inscriptions

Inscriptions:

in the halo:
'SANCTVS MARTINVS'

Owner: Museen der Stadt Aschaffenburg
Repository: Stiftsmuseum Aschaffenburg
Location: Aschaffenburg

CDA ID: DE_MSA_169-1955
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MSA_169-1955/

Connected Works1

Provenance

- [the panels] are probably originally from Halle
- in 1800 the panels in the cathedral treasury of Mainz and were auctioned in 1801
- 1954 acquired from a private collection
[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 283, No. 25a]

Exhibitions

Halle 2006, no. 92A

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Decot 2007

Fig. p. 54

Author	Rolf Decot
Title	Ein Kirchenfürst in schwieriger Zeit: Albrecht von Brandenburg (1513/14-1545)
Publication	in Gerhard Ermischer, Andreas Tacke, eds., Cranach im Exil. Aschaffenburg um 1540. Zuflucht, Schatzkammer, Residenz, Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2007
Pages	55-75

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007

283-286

No. 25a

Fig. p. 284

Editor	Gerhard Ermischer, Andreas Tacke
Title	Cranach im Exil. Aschaffenburg um 1540. Zuflucht - Schatzkammer - Residenz. Ausstellungskatalog Schloss Johannisburg und Kunsthalle Jesuitenkirche
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2007

Show Literature

Merkel 2007 A

Fig. 1

Author	Kerstin Merkel
Title	Die Konkubinen des Kardinals - Legenden und Fakten
Publication	in Gerhard Ermischer, Andreas Tacke, eds., Cranach im Exil, Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2007
Pages	77-97

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Halle 2006

188, 190, 192

092A

Pl. p. 192

Editor	Thomas Schauerte
Title	Der Kardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg. Renaissancefürst und Mäzen. Bd. 1: Katalog zur Ausstellung in Halle, Moritzburg
Volume	1
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2006

Show Literature

Emmendörffer 1998

216, 217

Fig. 22.12

Author	Christoph Emmendörffer
Title	Die selbständigen Cranachschüler
Publication	in Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	1998
Pages	203-228

Show Literature

Cat. Aschaffenburg 1994

107

Author	Ingrid Jenderko-Sichelschmidt, Markus Marquart, Gerhard Ermischer
Title	Stiftsmuseum der Stadt Aschaffenburg
Series	Bayerische Museen
Volume	18
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	1994

Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

'[...]In addition to the pearl embroidery there are three coats-of-arms, which have been sewn onto the alba, or undergarment of the bishop. They show a wheel, the coat-of-arms of the archdiocese of Mainz, in the centre the coat-of-arms of the archdiocese of Magdeburg and beside it the coat-of-arms of the diocese of Halberstadt – all three of Albrecht’s dioceses. According to heraldic hierarchy the most important coat-of-arms should be in the centre. This would have been the coat-of-arms of the archdiocese of Mainz, which was also the electorate. That here the coat-of-arms of Magdeburg is in the centre indicates, that the painting was commissioned for a location within the archdiocese of Magdeburg, probably Halle.'

[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 286, No. 25a]

'[...] The depiction of Martin as a bishop with the beggar is not unusual even though the scene with the beggar took place before Martin’s clerical appointment and he in fact shared his coat with the beggar. A very similar representation can be found on the reverse of one of the wing panels of the Aschaffenburg triptych, a depiction that veritably anticipates this scene.[...]'

[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, 286, No. 25a]

St Martin (Albrecht of Brandenburg), 1524 (?)

Images

Technical studies

06. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush; initial design executed with diluted medium

Type/Ductus:

- detailed and freehand underdrawing

- predominantly thin lines

- hatching-strokes

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details and the facial features; representation of volume (hatching-strokes)

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Simon Franck/Master of the Mass of St Gregory?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'St Martin (Albrecht of Brandenburg)', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MSA_169-1955/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'St Martin (Albrecht of Brandenburg)', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MSA_169-1955/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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