Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony

Title

Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony

[cda 2017]

Painting on paper (with pinkish toned ground application), brush, brown sketch, the face and a plait were worked up in paint

Medium

Painting on paper (with pinkish toned ground application), brush, brown sketch, the face and a plait were worked up in paint

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, revised 2017]

The sitter's identity is confirmed by a full-length portrait painting for which this work served as a preparitory sketch. It is one of a series of portraits of the electoral-saxon family created in 1564. Accordingly the sitter is 12 years of age. Later in 1570 she married the reformed count

The sitter's identity is confirmed by a full-length portrait painting for which this work served as a preparitory sketch. It is one of a series of portraits of the electoral-saxon family created in 1564. Accordingly the sitter is 12 years of age. Later in 1570 she married the reformed count palatine Johann Casimir and suffered greatly under him because of her lutheran beliefs.

[Gero Seelig, Cat. Berlin 1994, 137f.]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2017]
[Schade 1972, Fig. 246, Fn. p. 465]

Production date
about 1564

Production date

about 1564

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2017]
[Schade 1974, Fig. 246, Fn. p. 465]

Dimensions
Dimensions of painted surface: 38.8 x 28.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 38.8 x 28.5 cm

  • [Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2017]

Signature / Dating

None

Owner
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Repository
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Location
Berlin
CDA ID
DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4452
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4452/

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Buck 2015 143, 146, 147 Fig. 3
AuthorStephanie Buck
TitleAuf Papier. Zu Cranachs Bildnisstudien
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages142-153
Hofbauer 2011 424, 425 212
AuthorMichael Hofbauer
TitleCranach - die Zeichnungen
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2011
Exhib. Cat. Stuttgart 1980 15 A15
AuthorHeinrich Geissler
TitleZeichnungen in deutschland. Deutsche Zeichner 1540 - 1640 [Staatsgalerie Stuttgart]
Place of PublicationStuttgart
Year of Publication1980
Schade 1974 102, 103, 465 Fig. 246
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Cat. Berlin 1921 21 Fig. 27
AuthorElfried Bock
TitleDie Zeichnungen alter Meister im Kupferstichkabinett. Die deutschen Meister. Beschreibendes Verzeichnis sämtlicher Zeichnungen, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1921
Link https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/bock1921ga
Friedländer 1910/1911
AuthorMax Friedlaender
TitleEine Porträtstudie des jüngeren L. Cranach
JournalAmtliche Berichte aus den Preuszischen Kunstsammlungen
Issue32
Year of Publication1910
Pages134-138

Research History / Discussion

Striking is the austere expression of concentration in the face, which has been completely worked up, while the remaining composition is only suggested. The initial design was executed in black chalk on a pale pink sheet of paper with a ground application. Subsequently the flesh paint was carried out with an initial bright pink paint layer applied with increasing transparency in the areas of shadow. A wreath of hair in brown and yellow paint completes the face, whereas the remaining composition was merely indicated with brown brushstrokes. This economic and effective oil sketch is a technique developed by Cranach the Elder. Our sheet also corresponds with what H. Geissler referred to as idealized portraits, which he nevertheless assumes were recorded in front of the model. The superb quality of the work lies in the balance between the artistic form and the palpable human presence.

[Gero Seelig, Cat. Berlin 1994, 137f.]

The toned paper, the linearity of the bust portrait, the economic indication of costume details and the exquisite precision of form are comparable with Holbein. This court style reflects the noble status of the sitter.

[Buck 2015, 147]

the contours were not pressed through, but were reproduced exactly on the panel of the painting.[1]

[...] the oil sketch served as a reminder and reliable guide for the painting process and this would explain the presence of barely visible details that were carried over from the sketch. Moreover they are also included in the underdrawing. The position of shadows was also carried over.

[1] This was confirmed by using tracing paper; to date tracings have only been made from reproductions with the same dimensions as the originals and it would useful to confirm this with ones taken from the original works.

[Buck 2015, 147]

  • Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony, about 1564

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall

Technical studies

2015Technical Examination

Support

- paper

- the dimensions correspond to those of a whole folio sheet

Ground and Imprimatura

- an ivory/pale pink ground was applied to the paper support

Underdrawing

- the initial design was drawn with a black stylus and is loose and sketchy in character and yet more detailed than[DE_SMBKSK_KdZ2378]

[Buck 2015, 146, 147]

Condition Reports

Date2015

The large format drawing is lined on the reverse.

[Buck 2015, 146, Fn. 32]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4452/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4452/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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