The Agony in the Garden

The Agony in the Garden

Title

The Agony in the Garden

[CDA 2012]

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

Medium

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 214-215, No. IV.15]

The painting, which unifies elements from texts in the bible related to the scene of the agony in the garden, depicts Christ in the centre, kneeling in the garden of Gethsemane. A chalice accompanied by an angel appears to him while he prays filled with fear. Three apostles sleep in

The painting, which unifies elements from texts in the bible related to the scene of the agony in the garden, depicts Christ in the centre, kneeling in the garden of Gethsemane. A chalice accompanied by an angel appears to him while he prays filled with fear. Three apostles sleep in the foreground. Jacob - between Peter and John - folds his hands in prayer.

[see Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 214-215, No. IV.15]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 214-215, No. IV.15]

Production date
about 1537

Production date

about 1537

[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 214-215, No. IV.15]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 150.2 x 113.4 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 150.2 x 113.4 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 214-215, No. IV.15]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on the stone underneath Christ: serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1537'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on the stone underneath Christ: serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1537'

Inscriptions and Labels

recto: bottom left: '624' (probably old Inventory)

verso:
top left, label:
'Staatliche Museen Berlin - Gemäldegalerie
Inv.Nr. I. 642
Kat.Nr. …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • recto: bottom left: '624' (probably old Inventory)

  • verso:

  • top left, label:

  • 'Staatliche Museen Berlin - Gemäldegalerie

    • Inv.Nr. I. 642

    • Kat.Nr. 580

    • L. Cranach d. Ä.'

  • Below, label:

  • 'Verwaltung der Schlösser u. Gärten Berlin

    • Kat.Nr. 11426

    • Lucas Cranach

    • Christus am Ölberg'

  • Right centre, seal:

  • 'Koenigliche Museen Berlin'

  • Below, black stamp: 'I.642'

  • Bottom left and right, labels:

  • 'Gen. Kat.

    • No. 11425'

  • Right below, label:

  • 'KNr. 580

    • Inv. I/642'

  • [Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2010]

Owner
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository
Grunewald hunting lodge
Location
Grunewald
CDA ID
DE_smbGG_580
FR (1978) Nr.
FR369
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_580/

Connected Works

The Washing of the Feet
  • The Washing of the Feet, 153[7]
  • DE_smbGG_579
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Entombment
  • The Entombment, 1538
  • DE_smbGG_581
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Resurrection
  • The Resurrection, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1189
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ carrying the Cross
  • Christ carrying the Cross, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1190
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Ecce Homo
  • Ecce Homo, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1193
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ crowned with Thorns
  • Christ crowned with Thorns, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1194
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
The Scourging of Christ
  • The Scourging of Christ, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2270
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ in Limbo
  • Christ in Limbo, 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2271
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg

Provenance

  • probably taken from the cathedral (Domkirche) in the 17th century and placed in the Erasmus chapel (Erasmuskapelle) of the Berlin palace; eight Passion paintings are listed in the Berlin palace inventory from 1700
    [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, Nos. IV.14-22]

  • after its return from Wiesbaden (probably 1932) the painting was lent to the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (1960) in Charlottenburg palace (Schloss Charlottenburg), depot

  • 1973 returned to Dahlem for an exhibition

  • Since 5 June 1974 again on loan to Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, Gunewald hunting lodge (Jagdschloss Grunewald)
    (note in the file)
    [Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2011]

Exhibitions

Berlin 2009, No. IV.15
Berlin 1973, No. 6b

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 136, Fn. 61
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. Berlin 2009 A 214-215 No. IV.15 Fig. IV.15
EditorStiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
TitleCranach und die Kunst der Renaissance unter den Hohenzollern. Kirche, Hof und Stadtkultur
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2009
Show Literature
Tacke 2007 C 81, 82, 84
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleMit Cranachs Hilfe: Antireformatorische Kunstwerke vor dem Tridentiner Konzil
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, [Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt am Main]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2012/2000
Pages81-89
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1996 35 No. 80
AuthorRainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleGemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1996
Show Literature
Erichsen 1994 A 157, 158
AuthorJohannes Erichsen
TitleAltäre Lucas Cranachs und seiner Werkstatt vor der Reformation
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhof, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmen aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26/94
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages150-165
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 144 No. 369 Fig. 369
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973 No. 6b
AuthorWilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
TitleLucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 84 294
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
Friedländer 1905 64
AuthorMax J. Friedländer
TitleDie Tafelmalerei des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts
Publicationin Oscar Döring, Georg Voss, eds., Meisterwerke der Kunst aus Sachsen und Thüringen
Place of PublicationMagdeburg
Year of Publication1905
Pages3-18
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1883 98-99
AuthorMax Jordan
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleBeschreibung des Gebaudes, Geschichte der Sammlung, Verzeichniss Sammtlicher Kunstwerke mit drei Grundrissen
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1883
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 C 15-16 9
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Zweiter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd2
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1830 143 No. II.60
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
EditorKönigliches Museum, Berlin
TitleVerzeichniß der Gemälde-Sammlung des Königlichen Museums zu Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1830
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

‚The painting is one of nine Passion panels, which were originally parts of an unknown number of winged altarpieces. Commissioned by Joachim II Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop created them for the collegial church in Berlin (Berliner Stiftskirche) between 1537 and 1538. This is one of the central panels, which was probably flanked by full-length depictions of saints on the wings and complemented by scenes from the old testament on the predella. […] The Berlin Passion cycle was based on the 16 Passion altarpieces, which were commissioned by Cardinal Albrecht from Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop for the collegial church in Halle (Hallenser Stiftskirche) (about 1520-1525) and it was the second large painted Passion series created in the Cranach workshop. Not only are numerous central panels now missing from the Berlin Passion altarpieces, like for example ‚The Arrest of Christ‘ or ‚The Crucifixion‘, but in addition the whereabouts of all the wing panels and a large number of the predella panels is unknown. They were probably lost in 1613 when Elector Johann Sigismund converted to Calvinism. […]‘

[Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, No. IV.14-22]

  • The Agony in the Garden, about 1537

Images

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Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

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Entry with no author
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