A nymph at a Fountain

- limewood (Tilia sp.), additions on all four sides: oak

- reverse exhibits no knots, a knot is visible on the front through the paint layers in the third board

- 4 horizontally aligned boards with butt joints, 2 later additional battens at the top and bottom

- boards widths: I: 11.4cm r./ 10.5cm l., II: 11.8cm l./11.4cm r., III: 15.4cm r./ 15.1cm l., IV: 15.1cm l./15,0cm r., additional battens (top): 3 cm l./ 2,7 cm r., (bottom): 3 cm l./ 2.7 cm r.

- the knot in the zone to the left of the castle in the background was reinforced with tow.

- the joins do not appear to have been reinforced

- the original surface on the reverse has not been retained

- white ground, presumably chalk/glue (not tested)

- c. 0,5mm thick

- no imprimitura

- delicate line drawing and loose brush drawing (particularly visible under the flesh paint). Pobably traced with a stylus and the line was then reinforced or corrected with a brush where required, further details executed freehand with a brush

- visible to the naked eye through the flesh paint

- a line drawing probably created by tracing from a pre-existing design, no incised lines are visible

- very minor alterations were made during the painting process, however in the left eye a more prominant deviation is evident

Figure:

the shadows and half-shadows were laid in on the white ground with a greyish-brown wash and blended. Highlights were created by retaining the white of the ground exposed. After the drying process an admixture of vermilion/ochre/white was applied wet-in-wet and in part scumbled over the greyish-brown wash to create a flesh tone like mother-of-pearl. This tone was used to create the half-shadows. The dark greyish-brown toone of the underpaint was retained in the areas of shadow. Highlights employing a vermilion/lead white admixture were in part blended with the wet flesh tone. Finally fine lined contours were added in a brown tone. The hair was intially painted with an unmodulated layer of ochre and after drying linear highlights and contours were added.

Cloak:

opaque underpaint, modulated wet-in-wet, light highlights blended. After drying the shadows were reinforced with glazes, the red robes are completely covered by a red glaze, the shadows were painted darker.

Skyl:

a blue/white admixture was applied over the white ground. This paint layer was applied increasingly darker towards the top and was blended with yellow and red towards the bottom.

Grass:

dark brown underpaint, above this a semi-opaque green paint was applied and finally blades of grass and leaves were added with an economic use of lines

Forest:

blackish-green underpaint, followed by a wet-in-wet application of green paint to indicate leaves, fix linear accents and contours.

Text:

fine incised lines in the paint layer serve as guidelines at the top and bottom; the text was executed in black paint with a fine pointed brush

- glazed to opaque application, the highlights were applied in impasto (particularly the in the woodland, the draperies and the hair)

- flat and pointed brushes of varying widths; the paint consistency ranges from thin to impasto

- not original, 19th century

- dimensions: 83.8 x 116.8 x 10 cm

- coniferous wood

- mitred, fluted profile with a noble wood imitation, inner profile stuccoed and gilded (patina)

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2015]

Identification of wood species: limewood (Tilia sp.)

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid black pigmented medium (brush) and dry medium (dark chalk)

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin unbroken lines

- incised line (fountain)

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate the contours and describe the facial features and essential forms within the figure; no representation of volume

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

Support:

• the panel was thinned to a thickness of 8mm, the reverse was smoothened, the format was enlarge by the addition of oak wood battens and the panel was cradled (presumably in the 19th century). the additions are supported by the five cradle members (8 cross-members)

• open woodworm channels in the 4th and 5th plank; no longer active

• slight washboard effect visible in raking light, but otherwise relatively in plane

Ground/Paint Layers:

• small losses at the edges

• extensive fills and retouches, probably 19th century (see UV light image)

Varnish:

• resin varnish, slight matt appearance in the restored areas

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]

Restaurierungsakte IV 1824-1932

Sheets 6.-29. Treatment report by Walter Kühn, Leipzig [August 1925].

(391) 'A Nymph at a Fountain', by Cranach the Elder [Inv. No. 757] cleaned, rubbed with oil of terpentine, regenerated [in red ink] the edge of the lime wood panel was replaced on all four sides with oak wood.'

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]