The Altarpiece of the Holy Kinship [left wing]

Identification of wood species: limewood

DESCRIPTION (recto)

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin lines; occasional hatching-strokes

Function:

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

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

DESCRIPTION (verso)

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- broader lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form (e.g. halo, the Virgin’s face)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

- seven boardss, aligned horizontally

- height from top to bottom: board I – left 16.5 cm, right 17.2 cm; board II – left 24.0 cm, right 24.9 cm; board III – left 13.1 cm, right 11.1 cm; board IV – left 15.1 cm, right 14.5 cm; board V – left 14.5 cm, right 16.3 cm; board VI – left 18.4 cm, right 16.6 cm; board VII – left 18.7 cm, right 18.9 cm

A freehand underdrawing executed employing a brush is visible in the infrared reflectogram:

- on the recto this is visible in both children as well as the hand and sleeve of St Mary Cleophas; deviations from the underdrawing are apparent in the left hand of Alpheaus and in his face

- the brushstrokes are broader and more summary on the verso and they are barely distinguishable from the painted version in the infrared reflectogram. Here there are also some deviations: the Virgin’s right hand finger has been moved and the second tubular fold originally came from the left

- on both the recto and the verso the edge of the painted surface has been covered with a black strip

- the haloes were executed in gold leaf

Modern

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 204-225]

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 133

Paint description: grey pedestal (grisaille)

Sample location: left wing, reverse, pedestal at the bottom centre

Sample number: 132

Examination methods: microscopy, SEM-EDX

Observations:

5. varnish

4. grey layer, warm tone with coarser black pigments (overpaint?) (EDX: Pb, Ca, Si, Hg, Fe, lead white, in an admixture with vermilion and iron oxide )

3. transparent brownish layer > glaze or varnish

2. transparent brownish layer > original glaze or varnish

1. grey layer containing white and fine black pigments (soot black) an application in one or two layers? (EDX: Pb, Ca, lead white, chalk, no copper blue)

0. white layer > ground, no imprimatura visible, fibrous inclusions (protein fibre?)

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 132

Paint description: grey (dark grey) wall

Sample location: left wing, dark grey wall, top right

Sample number: 131

Examination method: microscopy

Observations:

6. recent varnish

5. transparent brownish layer > varnish

4. transparent brownish layer > old varnish with dirt on the surface

3. dark grey layer with black and some white pigments, applied in two layers, in UV-light the maxtix exhibits a partiall fluorescene

2. thin white layer, single black pigments > underpaint or imprimatura

1. white layer > ground, two layers?

0. wood

Comments: multilayered varnish over a grey paint layer; white underpaint/imprimatura over a white ground

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 131

Paint description: grey architecture (light grey pillar)

Sample location: left wing, pillar at top right

Sample number: 130

Examination methods: microscopy, SEM-EDX

Observations:

3. grey layer containing white, black and some blue pigments (EDX: Pb, Si, Cu), azurite, carbon black, lead white, silicon, a lot of organic material)

2. thin white layer with single black pigments > underpaint or imprimatura

1. white layer > ground

0. wood

Comments: grey layer over an almost white underpaint or imprimatura

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 130

Paint description: grey floor tile

Sample location: left wing, grey tile

Sample number: 129

Examination method: microscopy

Observations:

4. extremely thin red layer containing vermilion pigments > reddish glaze?

3. thicker whitish grey layer with some black pigments and glassy inclusions

2. thin white layer with single black pigments > underpaint or imprimatura

1. yellowish white layer > ground very thin here!

0. wood

Comments: very thin reddish glaze(?) over a whitish grey underpaint

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 129

Paint description: green tree

Sample location: left wing, top edge, green tree

Sample number: 128

Examination method: microscopy

Observations:

8. thick glassy layer > recent varnish, pigmented

7. thin brown glassy layer (yellow in UV-light) > glaze or old varnish

6. thin brownish glassy layer (yellow in UV-light) > glaze or old varnish, layer containing dark dirt particles(?)

5. lush green layer with green pigments

4. paler green layer with green pigments (and white or yellow)

3. green layer, semi-transparent with green pigments, contours barely discernable (verdigris?), some brownish inclusions

2. pale grey layer with white and black pigments > underpaint

1. white layer > ground

0. wood

Comments: multilayered green paint with an old varnish

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_SMF_1398B

Cross-section number: EP 128

Paint description: blue sky

Sample location: left wing, sky, top edge

Sample number:127

Examination methods: microscopy, SEM-EDX

Observations:

4. glassy layer with red inclusions > recent varnish

3. blue layer with white (lead white) and blue (EDX: Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Pb ultramarine) and glassy pigments> sky

2. grey layer with white and black splintery pigments (EDX: lead white and carbon black) > underpaint

1. white layer > ground, no coccoliths

0. wood

Comments: blue sky (natural ultramarine) over grey underpaint

False-colour-infrared-imaging

• a wooden batten was attached to the bottom edge of the panel. It is 0.4 cm thick and is now slightly damaged on the right

• recto: in UV light the following irregular cleaning tests are visible: more varnish was removed from the flesh paint of St Mary Cleophas and the white sleeve of the figure in the foreground, the face and chest of Alpheaus, the castle and the rocky outcrop in the background

• verso: numerous retouchings over an old varnish (from a past restoration), which was unevenly thinned; there are patchy cleaning tests here too: more varnish was removed from the child, the head, the hair, the hands and the right sleeve of the Virgin as well as her stomach and her robe; under the varnish there are large retouchings in the bottom third of the figure, on the folds of the coat below her left arm and on her lower arm as well as on the left of the niche

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 204-225]