The Virgin and Child

The Virgin and Child

Title

The Virgin and Child

[Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Klein Report, 08.04.2013]
[Krischel 2003, 15]

oak wood

[Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

The painting shows the Virgin as a half-length figure in an expansive landscape. Her head is inclined to the left and she holds a velvet cushion in her hands, upon which the naked infant Jesus is bedded. The red and orange tones of her cloak, together with her blue robe

The painting shows the Virgin as a half-length figure in an expansive landscape. Her head is inclined to the left and she holds a velvet cushion in her hands, upon which the naked infant Jesus is bedded. The red and orange tones of her cloak, together with her blue robe and the green cushion create an appealing colour harmony. Her long, reddish blond wavy hair falls over her shoulders and is barely covered by the transparent veil. The shrubbery behind the Virgin reaches up to the top edge of the painting; to the side of this an expansive landscape is visible.

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

Production date
1518

Production date

1518

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 56.5 x 38.8 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 56.5 x 38.8 cm

  • [Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia and date bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left, and dated '1518'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia and date bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left, and dated '1518'

  • [cda 2013]

Owner
Wallraf-Richartz-Museum - Fondation Corboud, Köln
Repository
Wallraf-Richartz-Museum - Fondation Corboud, Köln
Location
Cologne
CDA ID
DE_WRMK_WRM3207
FR (1978) Nr.
FR089
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_WRMK_WRM3207/

Provenance

  • Samuel Graf von Festetics Collection(?)
  • auction Artaria, Vienna, 11 April 1859, No. 124
  • Collection of the Grand Duke of Saxony/Weimar, Weimar
  • 1937 purchase by Wallraf-Richartz-Museum from Galerie Fischer, Lucerne [1]
  • Gift from the City of Cologne to Edda Göring, 02.06.1938 [1]
  • on the 23.7.1969 returned to the W.R.M [1]

[1]Göring Collection, DHM database:
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/goering/dhm_goering.php?seite=5&fld_0=RMG00474

[Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

Exhibitions

  • Erfurt 1903, No. 153
  • Cologne 2003
  • Düsseldorf 2017, No. 76

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 167 No. 76
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
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Florence 2017 92 under no. 15
EditorFrancesca de Luca, Giovanni Maria Fara
Title I volti della Riforma. Lutero e Cranach nelle collezioni medicee [Uffizi, Florence]
Place of PublicationFlorence, Milan
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2016 134, 139
EditorOlga Kotková
TitleCranach. Ze všech stran. From all sides.
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2016
Pages16-180
Show Literature
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 129, Fn. 6
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 146
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2007 A 176, 177, 184, 190, 193
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleLucas Cranach the Elder
Place of PublicationAmsterdam
Year of Publication2007
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/6116/2097/3099/Heydenreich_2007_Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf
Show Literature
Krischel 2003 14
AuthorRoland Krischel
TitleCranach in Köln. Zum 450. Todestag des Schnellmalers von Wittenberg
JournalKölner Museums-Bulletin
Issue2
Year of Publication2003
Pages4-22
Show Literature
Schaefer, Saint-George 2003 25-26
AuthorIris Schaefer, Caroline von Saint-George
TitleZur Unterzeichnung von Gemälden Lucas Cranachs d.Ä. und seines Umkreises im Wallraf-Richartz-Museum - Foundation Corboud
JournalKölner Museums-Bulletin
Issue2
Year of Publication2003
Pages23-38
Show Literature
Grimm 1998 81 Fig. 9.30
AuthorClaus Grimm
TitleDie Anteile von Meister und Werkstatt. Zum Fall Lucas Cranach d.Ä.
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Pages67-82
Show Literature
Wittmann 1998 169
AuthorJan Wittmann
TitleDie Bedeutung des Marienbildes im Schaffen Cranachs
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2012/2050
Pages169-180
Show Literature
Cat. Kassel 1997 68-69
AuthorAnja Schneckenburger-Broschek
EditorStaatliche Museen Kassel
TitleAltdeutsche Malerei. Die Tafelbilder und Altäre des 14. bis 16. Jahrhunderts in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister und im Hessischen Landesmuseum Kassel. Bestandskatalog Staatliche Museen Kassel
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1997
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 89
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 620
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Cat. Cologne 1969 43
AuthorIrmgard Hiller
TitleKatalog der deutschen und niederländischen Gemälde bis 1550. Kataloge des Wallraf-Richartz-Museums, V
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1969
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 82
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
Show Literature
Doering, Voss 1905 12-13 pl. 19
EditorOskar Doering, Georg Voss
TitleMeisterwerke der Kunst aus Sachsen und Thüringen. Gemälde, Skulpturen, Schnitzaltäre, Medaillen, Buchmalereien, Weberien, Goldschmiedekunst
Place of PublicationMagdeburg
Year of Publication1905
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Erfurt 1903 153
EditorOskar Doering
TitleKatalog der kunstgeschichtlichen Ausstellung zu Erfurt, September 1903
Place of PublicationMagdeburg
Year of Publication1903
Link https://archive.org/details/katalogderkunstg00ange/page/n1/mode/2up
Show Literature
Friedländer 1903 B 534
AuthorMax J. Friedländer
TitleErfurt, Kunstgeschichtliche Ausstellung
JournalRepertorium für Kunstgeschichte
Issue26
Year of Publication1903
Pages534
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899 012 (u.)
EditorKarl Woermann
TitleDeutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1899
Link http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1871 198-199 86
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Dritter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1871
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1871bd3
Show Literature
  • The Virgin and Child, 1518

Images

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  • analysis
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Documents

Technical studies

02. 2014Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- freehand summary underdrawing

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- minor adjustments were made during the painting process; small changes (e. g. Christ’s hands and right eye)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

08.04.2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: limewood

[Klein Report, 08.04.2013]

  • examined by Peter Klein

2003Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Underdrawing

- an underdrawing visible in the figure of the child as well as in the face and hands of the Virgin

- Medium: dark pen, thin lines - it is possible that these were traced from a template

- a few summary outlines

- facial features described in a manner typical of Cranach

- alterations made during the painting process visible in the right eye and the hands of the infant Christ

[Schaefer, Saint-George 2003, 25-26]

  • examined by Iris Schaefer
  • examined by Caroline von Saint-George

2000Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Micro-sampling / cross-sections
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis

CDA ID/Inventory Number: DE_WRMK_WRM3207

Cross-section number: EP 050

Paint description: the Virgin’s red robe

Sample location: the Virgin’s red robe

Sample number: 052

Examination methods: microscopy, SEM-EDX

Observations:

4. partial deep violet-red semi-transparent layer, slight orange fluorescence (in the centre there is a hairline crack) (EDX: Pb, Al, K, Ca, Cl red lake dye on substrate containing aluminium) > red modelling

3. partial white layer containing white, in part semi-transparent particles, single red particles (EDX: Pb (Ca) lead white, very small quantity of calcium), highlights

2. red layer containing vermilion pigments (EDX: Hg, Fe, Pb, Si > vermilion) with some red lead and iron oxide > red modelling

1. semi-transparent yellow layer with single black pigments and one red one; an isolating layer over the ground? Single black pigments from the underdrawing?

0. white layer > ground

Comments: multilayered modulation of the red robe employing vermilion, lead white and red lake

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich

1993Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • created by Wallraf-Richartz-Museum - Fondation Corboud, Köln

Condition Reports

Date1969

  • small split from the top left edge

  • abrasion and paint losses along the join have been reintegrated

[Cat. Cologne 1969, 43]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Virgin and Child', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_WRMK_WRM3207/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Virgin and Child', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_WRMK_WRM3207/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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