Herod's Banquet

Herod's Banquet

Title

Herod's Banquet

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

Medium

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]
[Klein, Report 1998]

In accordance with the biblical report by two Synoptics the painting shows the violent end suffered by St John the Baptist and caused by the intrigue of two women, Herodias and her daughter Salome. King Herodes had taken his sister-in-law, Herodias, as wife and imprisoned St John the Baptist, who

In accordance with the biblical report by two Synoptics the painting shows the violent end suffered by St John the Baptist and caused by the intrigue of two women, Herodias and her daughter Salome. King Herodes had taken his sister-in-law, Herodias, as wife and imprisoned St John the Baptist, who he actually admired, when he publically critised the relationship. At his birthday feast Salome captivated the King with her dancing so much that he promised to grant her any wish. Under the instruction of her mother Salome asked for the head of St John the Baptist on a plate, and against his will Herodes fullfilled her desire. Whereas the gospels emphasis that Salome presented the dish to her mother, the accent is slightly shifted in the panel in the Städel: here Salome enters the room, coming directly from the execution and Herodes is horrified by the ghastly results of his promise. The beautiful, young woman wearing a green gold brocade dress, a hair bonnet embroidered with pearls, a golden neck collar and two large chains strides to the left into the front picture plane in profile, and marks the central axis of the composition. She is cropped by the bottom edge of the painting at about knee-height; none of the figures are represented more than knee-length. Salome holds a large pewter platter in front of her chest with outstretched arms. The bearded and curly haired decapitated head of the youthful John the Baptist is on it with the face turned up so that the viewer is subjected to the gaze of his half-closed eyes. There is a nimbus of thin concentric circular lines with the circumscription 'S. IOHANES' behind his head. Directly behind the protagonist the almost square block of a table hidden under a white table cloth determines the arrangement of the figures. King Herodes, whose silhouette is increased by a voluminous red gown, sits on the left side cropped by the left edge of the painting. His head is decorated with a wine red beret. He holds his hands up instinctively in defense and stares at the severed head. The far side of the table is occupied by Herodias and an old man. The queen, distinguished by jewellery and a hair bonnet, and with her head inclined to the left, casts a telling sideglance towards her husband that is accompanied by a malicious smile. She has placed her hands on the table over each other. The simply clothed short-haired old man with a long beard beside her bends alarmed to the left in the direction the event; his open right hand rests on the table, while his left hand grasps a pewter goblet filled with wine. aA green cloth of honour is stretched behind the figures from the right edge of the table and extends beyond the right edge of the painting. It takes up over 2/3 of the entire width of the background. It is complemented by a baldachin of the same material over the table, the front of which appears along the top edge of the painting. On the right third of the painting a blue-grey wall serves as a background in front of which four courtly figures appear, holding their heads together and discussing in pairs. On the left two men with beards, on the right an almost concealed head with a cardinal's hat who speaks with a young man shown in profile, dressed in black with a black beret. In front of this group a blond curly haired page wearing an orange livery approaches the unoccupied right side of the table, and looks at the viewer out of the corner of his eye. As an unmistakeable parallel to the action of the protagonist he offers a platter laiden with fruit, on which green and black grapes, apples, pears and nuts are visible. The table is set with cork mats and knives; a bread bun and a glass of white wine are positioned at the edge of the table beneath the platter with the head of John the Baptist.

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Production date
1533

Production date

1533

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 79.5 x 112.6 x 0.7 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 79.5 x 112.6 x 0.7 cm

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 79.5 x 112.6 cm

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia and date top right: winged serpent with elevated wings, carrying the ring in its jaws and '1533'.

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia and date top right: winged serpent with elevated wings, carrying the ring in its jaws and '1533'.

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • in St John's halo:
    'S. IOHANES'

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203] Reverse:

  • on the cradle: adhesive label with a blue boarder, …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • in St John's halo:
  • 'S. IOHANES'

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse:

    • on the cradle: adhesive label with a blue boarder, in black ink 'lnv. 1193'
    • beneath this:
  • in red chalk '3706'

    • at the left:
  • white adhesive band with the inscription: 'Städel 3520/5 Ra'

    • on the cradle and on the reverse of the panel:
  • in pencil '13,672'

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Owner
Städel Museum Frankfurt a.M.
Repository
Städel Museum Frankfurt a.M.
Location
Frankfurt am Main
CDA ID
DE_SMF_1193
FR (1978) Nr.
FR220A
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMF_1193/

Provenance

  • 1851 in the collection of the councillor Kirschbaum, Weimar (?)
  • 1890 acquired in December 1890 with the assistance of the bookseller Joseph Baer, Frankfurt a. M., from the imperial russian councillor of the state K. von Becker

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Exhibitions

  • Frankfurt/London 2007/2008, No. 89
  • Düsseldorf 2017, No. 145

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 244 No. 145
EditorGunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Cranach. Meister - Marke - Moderne", Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 08. April 2017 - 30. Juli 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007 302-303 89 p. 303
EditorBodo Brinkmann
TitleCranach der Ältere, [Frankfurt, Städel Museum, 23 Nov 2007 - 17 Feb 2008]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Cat. Frankfurt 2005 196-203
AuthorStephan Kemperdick, Bodo Brinkmann
EditorStädelsches Kunstinstitut
TitleDeutsche Gemälde im Städel 1500 - 1550
Place of PublicationMainz
Year of Publication2005
Cat. Frankfurt 1999 29 pl. 20
AuthorBodo Brinkmann, Jochen Sander
TitleDeutsche Gemälde vor 1800 im Städel
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1999
Merkel 1990 316 104
AuthorKerstin Merkel
TitleSalome. Ikonographie im Wandel
SeriesEuropäische Hochschulschriften
Volume28
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1990
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 114 220A
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Cat. Hartford 1978 126
Authorn. a.
TitleWadworth Atheneum Paintings. Catalogue I: The Netherlands and the German-speaking Countries. Fifteenth - Nineteenth Centuries
Place of PublicationHartford
Year of Publication1978
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 63 182A
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
Worringer 1908 126 62
AuthorWilhelm Worringer
TitleLukas Cranach
SeriesKlassische Illustratoren
Volume3
Place of PublicationLeipzig, Munich
Year of Publication1908
Michaelson 1902 101, 136
AuthorHedwig Michaelson
TitleLukas Cranach der Ältere. Untersuchung über die stilistische Entwicklung seiner Kunst
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1902
Cat. Frankfurt 1900 76-77 87A
AuthorHeinrich von Weizsäcker
TitleCatalog der Gemälde-Gallerie des Städelschen Kunstinstituts in Frankfurt am Main
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1900
  • Herod's Banquet, 1533

Images

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Technical studies

03. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium; brush (?)

Type/Ductus:

- freehand schematic underdrawing (where visible)

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; the lines define the contours of the figures and facial features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- almost no adjustments made during the painting process; minor changes (e. g. repeated lines were employed to define the edge of the table; Salome’s stomach; the finger on the right hand of the old man seated at the far side of the table on the right; in Herodias’ face who sits beside him; the Page’s coat and the purse that was not executed in paint).

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Comments:

- possibly with reference to a pre-existing design

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

  • photographed by Städel Museum Frankfurt a.M.

2005 - Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

2005 - Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Support

- trimmed minimally on all four sides

- presumably the original thickness, but cradled

- four horizontally aligned planks with the grain running horizontally; re-glued and now exhibit a wavy surface and a considerable step between planks III and IV

- height from the top to the bottom:

Plank I: left and right 9.0 cm

Plank II: left 23.7; right 24.0 cm

Plank III: left and right 25.0 cm

Plank IV: left 22.1; right 22.5 cm

Underdrawing

In the infrared reflectogram a simple underdrawing executed with a brush is visible beneath the thick application of paint. However it was for the most part precisely followed in the painted version and is therefore either covered by the boarder between two colours or the black painted contours. As a result it most apparent in the few places where the painted version deviates. The edge of the table is drawn freehand with numerous loose strokes from the right. The stomach and belt of Salome are visible further left in the white area of the tablecloth. The finger on the right hand of the old man at the back left at the table is slightly different from the original design in the underdrawing, also the contours of the right side of Herodias' face. Here the contours of the forehead, the bridge and point of the nose are drawn together, whereas in the painted version these are further apart. The underdrawing is also visible in the face of the page carrying the fruit bowl. His coat is the only area where changes occurred during the painting process. The diagonal boarder of the pattern, coloured in with black, was originally planned differently as indicated by the dark shadow at the top right. On the opposite side of the slit on the sleeve beneath the elbow a trapezoid shape with a light oval ring is visible. It is the characteristic shape of a leather or cloth money pouch with a metal frame around it's openning, and which originally hung here.

Framing

modern

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

07.04.1998Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: limewood

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Condition Reports

Date2005

Mediocre. The varnish was unevenly thinned particularly on the flesh paint and on the fabrics. Numerous point retouchings spread over the entire surface. Large areas of retouching along all three joins, on Herodes gown and on the tablecloth at the right behind Salome. The background and some dark areas like the the black costume of the men on the right have been overcleaned and were probably damaged during attempts to regenerate the varnish, which has caused drying cracks.

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 196-203]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
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Entry with no author
'Herod's Banquet', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMF_1193/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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