The Crucifixion

Title

The Crucifixion

[Indianapolis Museum of Art, revised 2012]

Painting on beech

Medium

Painting on beech	[Klein, Report 1999]
Wood	[Indianapolis Museum of Art, revised 2012]

Cranach's Crucifixion should be seen in light of Luther's ideas. The emphasis upon the recognition of Christ's sacrifice by witnesses to his death on the Cross is a clear reference to one of the central tenets of Lutheran theology: that sinful mankind can be reconciled to God only by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The scene is crowded with figures that are symbolically arrayed at the right and left hand of Christ. To his right, the Virgin collapses into the arms of John the Evangelist, while the grieving Magdalene embraces the Cross. The Good Thief and Longinus, the Roman spear bearer who converted at Christ's death, gaze directly at him. They are contrasted with the brutish soldiers on his left, who ignore him and cast lots for his garments at the foot of the Cross. Cranach positioned the contemporary figures of a monk, a cardinal, and a Turk behind the Cross, among the unenlightened.

[Indianapolis Museum of Art, revised 2012]

At the bottom centre: coat of arms of the Dassel family

[Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

see also: [Hefner 1878 A, 113] [Hefner 1878 B, pl. 151]

Attribution: Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Indianapolis Museum of Art, revised 2012]

Production date: 1532

Production date

1532

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 30 x 21 1/2 inch

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 30 x 21 1/2 inch
75.8 × 55 cm
[Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]
Dimensions of support: 76 x 54.5 cm
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. 218]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the bottom centre: winged serpent and dated '1532'

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom centre: winged serpent and dated '1532'
[cda 2012]

Inscriptions and Labels

at top of cross: 'INRI'
bottom left: 'GENEROSO DNO HENRICO RANTZOVIO VICARIO REGIS DANIAE / // PRODUCI CIMBRICO D.D. HARDWIGVS …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

- at top of cross: 'INRI'
- bottom left: 'GENEROSO DNO HENRICO RANTZOVIO VICARIO REGIS DANIAE / // PRODUCI CIMBRICO D.D. HARDWIGVS A DASSEL IC.CAESAR. // XXVI DIE OCTOBRIS. ANNO CD.D.XCVI' (Given to the Honorable Henry Rantzau, Vicary of the King of Denmark, Nobleman of Holstein, by Doctor Hardwig of Dassel, in the Emperor’s Service, on the 26th day of October, 1596)
- bottom centre: coat of arms of the Dassel family
[Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

Reverse of the panel: upper left corner:
- 2 round stamps, purple ink: 'Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz * im Bundesm…f. Unterricht'
- round stamp, black ink: illegible
- black ink, handwritten: 'N 59'
- round stamp, purple ink: 'BUNDESDENKMALAMT * WIEN *'
upper right corner:
- two marks, pencil: '+ +'
left side:
- 2 rectangular purple stamps, scratched out in pencil: illegible
left side (centre):
- round black stamp with blurred writing: '…ETTE PA..TICIE.. L… •PARIS•'
- paper label with decorative boarder 'Gróf Migazzy Antónia.'
lower left corner:
- round stamp, purple ink: 'POST ZOLLAMT• …N..ONUL'
- round stamp, purple ink: illegible
lower right corner:
- round stamp, faded ink: illegible
- round stamp, black ink: 'PO..T ZOL…CHEN', mostly illegible
[Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

Owner: Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Clowes Collection
Repository: Indianapolis Museum of Art
Location: Indianapolis

CDA ID: US_IMA_2000-344
FR (1978) Nr.: FR218
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/US_IMA_2000-344/

Provenance

Hardwigus a Dassel, Doctor of the Canonic and Civil Law (1557–1608), member of Dassel family, near Einbeck, Hannover, by 1596
Heinrich Rantzau (1526–1598), probably Schloss Breitenburg, near Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein
Antonia Migazzy, née Marczibanyi (died 1886)
Possibly Prince Windisch-Graetz, Sarospatak, Hungary or possibly Count Hans Johann Nepomuk Wilczek (1837–1922), Kreuzenstein Castle
Vienna, art market, 1934? [1]
(E. and A. Silberman, New York)
Dr. G.H.A. Clowes, Indianapolis, in 1936
Clowes Fund Collection, Indianapolis, and on long-term loan to the Indianapolis - Museum of Art since 1971 (C10030)
Given to the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 2000.
[1][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. 218]
[Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

Exhibitions

Dallas 1936, no. 15
Indianapolis 1950, no. 19
Indianapolis 1959, no. 20
Notre Dame (IN) 1962, no. 13
Bloomington 1963, no. 42

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Cat. Coburg 2018

36, 142

under no. 2

Author	Klaus Weschenfelder
Title	Cranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2018

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

218 (fig. 218 shows incorrect version)

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

Show Literature

Cat. Indianapolis 1973

176

Author	n. a.
Title	Indianapolis Museum of Art, Clowes Fund Collection of Old Master Paintings
Place of Publication	Indianapolis
Year of Publication	1973

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Blomington 1963

042

Editor	Indiana University. Museum of Art
Title	Northern European painting. The Clowes Fund collection [Bloomington, Indiana University. Museum of Art, 18.03-10.04.1963]
Place of Publication	Bloomington
Year of Publication	1963

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Notre Dame 1962

013

Editor	Art Gallery, University of Notre Dame
Title	A Lenten exhibition loaned by the Clowes Fund Incorp. of Indianapolis [University of Notre Dame, Art Gallery, 11.3.-5.4.1962]
Place of Publication	Notre Dame, USA
Year of Publication	1962

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Indianapolis 1959

No. 20

Author	n. a.
Title	Paintings from the collection of George Henry Alexander Clowes. A memorial exhibition, [Indianapolis, John Herron Art Museum, 3. October - 1. November]
Place of Publication	Indianapolis
Year of Publication	1959

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Indianapolis 1950

019

Author	n. a.
Title	Holbein and His Contemporaries [Indianapolis, John Herron Art Museum]
Place of Publication	Indianapolis
Year of Publication	1950
Link	https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.32106012564198&seq=5

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Dallas 1936

015

Fig. p. 16

Editor	Dallas Art Association
Title	The Centennial Exhibition of Paintings, Sculpture, and Graphic Arts [Dallas, Museum of Fine Arts, 06.06-29.11.1936]
Place of Publication	Dallas
Year of Publication	1936
Link	https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth183290/

Show Literature

Hefner 1878 A

113

Pl. 151

Author	Otto Titian von Hefner
Editor	Georg Adalbert von Mülverstedt
Title	J. Siebmacher’s grosses und allgemeines Wappenbuch in einer neuen, vollständig geordneteten und reich vermehrten Auflage mit heraldischen und historisch-genealogischen Erläuterungen 3,2,1,1, Edelleute [Text]
Volume	3,2,1,1
Place of Publication	Nuremberg
Year of Publication	1878
Link	https://mdz-nbn-resolving.de/details:bsb11698911

Show Literature

Hefner 1878 B

Pl. 151

Author	Otto Titian von Hefner
Editor	Georg Adalbert von Mülverstedt
Title	J. Siebmachers grosses und allgemeines Wappenbuch : in einer neuen, vollst. geordneten und reich vermehrten Auflage mit heraldischen und historisch-genealogischen Erläuterungen. 3,2,1,2, Edelleute [Tafeln]
Volume	3,2,1,2
Place of Publication	Nuremberg
Year of Publication	1878
Link	https://mdz-nbn-resolving.de/details:bsb11698912

Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

For a more detailed discussion see: [Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

The Crucifixion, 1532

Images

Documents

Technical studies

2021Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography
X-radiography
UV-light photography
Other imaging techniques
Instrumental material analysis
Micro-sampling / cross-sections
Dendrochronology / identification of wood species
Stereomicroscopy

For a detailed report see: [Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

24.07.2002Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology
Infrared reflectography

Support

- Beech; youngest annual ring dates from 1524 (see pdf for context)

Underdrawing

- no underdrawing detected (see pdf for context)

written by Gunnar Heydenreich

25.06.1999Scientific analysis

Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

US_IMA_2000-344_FR218_1999_analysis-report-001.pdf

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Plank I: 54 annual rings, 1468 - 1415; plank II: 122 annual rings, 1523 - 1402; plank III: 105 annual rings, 1519 - 1415

Youngest annual ring: 1523

[Klein report, 25.06.2019]

analysed by Peter Klein

Condition Reports

Date2021

See: [Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

Conservation History

Date2021

See: [Indianapolis Museum online, accessed 20.09.2023]

Versions

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'The Crucifixion', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/US_IMA_2000-344/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'The Crucifixion', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/US_IMA_2000-344/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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