Portrait of a Lady of the Saxon Court as Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Portrait of a Lady of the Saxon Court as Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Titles

Portrait of a Lady of the Saxon Court as Judith with the Head of Holofernes

[Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Judith

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 360]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

The painting shows a half-length depiction of Judith behind a ledge on which the decapitated head of Holofernes rests. Judith is wearing a sumptuous gown with decorative slits in the sleeves and brocade bands, a neck band, a large linked chain and a wide-brimmed hat. Both her head and body

The painting shows a half-length depiction of Judith behind a ledge on which the decapitated head of Holofernes rests. Judith is wearing a sumptuous gown with decorative slits in the sleeves and brocade bands, a neck band, a large linked chain and a wide-brimmed hat. Both her head and body are turned to the right. In her left hand she holds the sword used to kill the commander Holofernes, the besieger of her native town.

[Görres, cda 2016]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Hans Cranach

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 360]

Hans Cranach

[Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Production date
about 1537 - 1540

Production date

about 1537 - 1540

[Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 79.9 x 55.6 cm (31 7/16 x 21 7/8 inches)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 79.9 x 55.6 cm (31 7/16 x 21 7/8 inches)

  • [Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2013]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the bottom left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

  • [Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • Hallmark on the sword
    [Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • Hallmark on the sword

  • [Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Owner
Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Repository
Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Location
San Francisco
CDA ID
US_FAMSF_1954-74
FR (1978) Nr.
FR360
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/US_FAMSF_1954-74/

Provenance

  • collection of Charles IV of Spain

  • sale of the Duke of Lucca, London (Christie's), 25 July 1840

  • London, Gallery T. Laurie & sons, sale of the Duke of Hamilton, 17 June 1882, at Hamilton Palace

  • Glasgow, collection of Sir William Callan

  • 1953 New York, Gallery Sperling
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 360]

  • Museum purchase, Mildred Anna Williams Collection
    [Legion of Honour, fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revised 2016]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 360
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Ruhmer 1963 84 Pl. 18
AuthorEberhard Ruhmer
TitleCranach
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1963
Show Literature
Rosenberg 1955
AuthorJakob Rosenberg
TitleThe Problem of Authenticity in Cranach's Late Period
JournalThe Art Quarterly
Issue18
Year of Publication1955
Pages164-169
Show Literature
Waagen 1854 294
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
TitleTreasures of art in Great Britain - being an account of the chief collections of paintings, drawings, sculptures, illuminated mss etc.
Volume3 Vols
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication1854
Show Literature
  • Portrait of a Lady of the Saxon Court as Judith with the Head of Holofernes, about 1537 - 1540

Images

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Technical studies

2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiograph
  • x_radiograph

Detail of an overpainted insignia: a serpent with fanned wings. This fact suggests that the author may have been Hans Cranach (?)

  • created by Legion of Honour, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

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Entry with no author
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