Lukretia

Lukretia

Titles

Lukretia

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Lucretia

[Herrschaft, CDA 2010]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[mail correspondence of the former owner with D. Koepplin in the Archive D. Koepplin, 1983 / 2009]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude figure. Her face is inclined to the right with an expression of suffering and she stares into the far distance. In her right hand she holds a long dagger pointed against her breast. In her left hand she holds a transparent

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude figure. Her face is inclined to the right with an expression of suffering and she stares into the far distance. In her right hand she holds a long dagger pointed against her breast. In her left hand she holds a transparent veil in front of her body, which is wrapped around both arms. In addition she wears an overcoat around her waist, which hides her vulva. She also wears a neckband and a delicate chain, which hang over her right breast. Her hairstyle indicates that she had a bonnet. The background is dark.

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King' son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, no. 174] [Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014][Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Production dates
1534
about 1531

Production dates

1534

[dated]

about 1531

[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

about 1537

[Zervos 1950, Fig. p. 63]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 50.5 x 36.2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 50.5 x 36.2 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, no. 174]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom left: serpent with elevated wings and dated '1534' in red paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the bottom left: serpent with elevated wings and dated '1534' in red paint

Owner
Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao
Repository
Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao
Location
Bilbao
CDA ID
ES_MBAB_12-79
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MBAB_12-79/

Provenance

  • formerly in a collection in Madrid
    [Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

  • The painting has been owned for generations by the Marquis of Rafal family and probably came to Spain from Vienna when by the peace of Vienna the marquis, partidary of the Archduke of Austria in the Spanish War of Succession in the 18th century, was amnestied and could return from the exile in Vienna to Spain.
    The countess of Via-Manuel (1850 - 1929), she was also Marquise of Rafal, sent the painting from her palace in Orihuela to her house in Madrid.
    During the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 39) the picture was kept by the republicain 'Junta de Recuperación del Tesoro Artistico' and was sent to the Prado Museum. This painting was included in the expeditions organised by the Prado Museum durch the Civil War to send the paintings out of Madrid that ended near the border with France, first in the Figueras castle and then in the Perelada castle. (Once there was a label on the reverse of the painting giving information about that journey.)
    It was perhaps at the Prado Museum that Christian Zervos , friend of Picasso - at the time director of the Prado - had the opportunity to see the picture and take a photo later employed in his book.
    After the war, the picture went back to the owner, the Count of La Granja.
    [mail correspondence of the former owner with D. Koepplin in the Archive D. Koepplin, 2005 and emailcorrespondence of the former owner with J. Herrschaft, 2012]

  • 2009: the painting was not as intended auctioned at Christie's London
    [Auct. Cat. Christie's in the Archive D. Koepplin]
    [email correspondence of the former owner with J. Herrschaft, 2011]

  • since 2012 in the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao
    [email correspondence of the former owner with J. Herrschaft, 2012]

Exhibitions

Düsseldorf 2017, No. 174

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 281 No. 174
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
Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014 85-109 1, 11-17
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Jana Herrschaft
TitleUna Lucrecia de Lucas Cranach el Viejo en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao / A Lucretia by Lucas Cranach the Elder at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
JournalBilbao Fine Arts Museum Bulletin
Issue8
Year of Publication2014
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7016/2097/3068/Herrschaft_Heydenreich_2014_A_Lucretia_by_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf
Pages85-109
Bierende 2002
AuthorEdgar Bierende
TitleLucas Cranach d.Ä. und der deutsche Humanismus. Tafelmalerei im Kontext von Rhetorik, Chroniken und Fürstenspiegeln
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2002
Follak 2002
AuthorJan Follak
TitleLucretia zwischen positiver und negativer Anthropologie: Coluccio Salutatis Declamatio Lucretie und die Menschenbilder im exemplum der Lucretia von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication2002
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 664, 666 under No. 583 Fig. 323
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

Research History / Discussion

D. Koepplin describes the painting as more polished than the later version in Basel (FR235).

[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

In addition he also points out the similarities with the version in the Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum (FR240C), however considers this painting to be of higher quality.

[mail correspondence of the owner with D. Koepplin in the Archive D. Koepplin, 2009]

The painting is one of a series of half- or three-quarter-length nude depictions of Lucretia, which was executed between 1526 and 1538, e. g.: FR 236, 397. However, despite this it is not a serial production, but rather it represents a transitional phase between the two comparative paintings mentioned by Koepplin.

[Herrschaft, cda 2011]

  • Lukretia, 1534

Images

Compare images
  • overall
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  • overall
  • reverse
  • reverse
  • irr
  • x_radiograph
  • uv_light
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

2014Technical Examination

Support

The Support is made of beech wood consisting of three horizontally aligned and butt-joined planks. The dimensions (50.4 x 36.4 x 1.3 cm) belongs to the standart 'C' format. A 0.9-centimetre rebate runs along the edge on the back of the panel except on the bottom edge, from which we deduce that the panel was originally a centimetre or so taller.

Ground and Imprimatura

The ground is white.

Underdrawing

An underdrawing is not readily visible on the white ground. Occasional fragmentary lines may be accents or outlines executed during the painting pro?cess. Only the preliminary drawing for the dagger can be clearly identified where the edge of the blade is indicated by a line incised in the flesh paint employing a needle. Although infrared reflectography did not reveal an underlying drawing, this does not mean the painting was executed without a preliminary drawing to establish the composition. The underlying drawing may just have been a few lines in some dry medium like charcoal, black or red chalk that IR reflectography doesn’t pick up or only registers under certain conditions.

Paint Layers and Gilding

The painting is masterfully and efficiently executed. Cranach achieved the delicately nuanced modelling of the forms of the body by applying and mixing clear flesh tones, and using brown glazes and cold grey tones for the shadows. With the subtle plane modulation and monochrome black background, the pro?file outlines contrast with the drawing of the details. Cranach pays little atten?tion to the creases and folds of the dark red cloak. A thorough examination of the chain hanging from Lucretia’s neck reveals it is painted schematically, with little volume, although Cranach does exercise his sophisticated technical skill here. The chain of changing reflections of light, beautifully adapted to the forms

of the body, which in turn suggest depth, derives from the same constructive prin?ciple. Eyes, nose and mouth are expertly rendered with true economy of means, in line with Cranach’s habitual canon of forms. Her eyelids, barely modelled and par?tially obscured, have been highlighted with a clear outline. The lower part of the eye is practically not modelled, the shadow line being replaced by fine, precisely executed lashes. Details like the veil, the hair, the eyelashes and the precious stones ineluctably draw the attention of anyone looking at the painting.

Pink, black, red, brown, yellow and grey predominate in a painting executed with relatively few colours. Green is reserved for two precious stones in the necklace. Cranach draws the jewel on a reddish brown background with brown outlines and touches of yellow light, without the colours mixing. A similar reddish ochre tone applied to the jewellery is also used in the handle of the dagger and the hair; in other words, it is used to represent dif?ferent materials. With economy and technical skill, the artist creates a harmonious whole from the individual features of the work. His treatment of the details reveals an experi?enced hand. For example the red stones of the necklace are painted in prism shapes on a

black background with red opaque paint and subsequently glazed with a red lake.

The remarkable quality of the painting leaves no doubt that Cranach himself worked on this painting.

[Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014, 101-105]

2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • UV-light photography
  • uv_light
  • photographed by Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao

2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid black drawing medium; brush (barely visible)

Type/Ductus:

- freehand schematic underdrawing (where visible)

- thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; the lines delineate the contours (occasionally visible in the area of the hands) and indicate facial features (only visible on the lower lip); no representation of volume

Deviations:

- almost no adjustments were made during the painting process; changes (e. g. the direction in which the saints and the infant Christ are looking; Christ’s feet).

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- possibly with reference to a pre-existing design

- the outlines of the dagger appear to be incised

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • created by Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao

Conservation History

Date2012

In 2012 Albert Glatigny, from the Institut Royal du Patrimoine Artistique in Brussels, did further conservation work on the wood support, which involved filling numerous holes on the back of the panel with micropearls and replacing the wooden strips along the joins with balsa wood. In the lower right-hand corner balsa wood was also used to replace a missing fragment.

[Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014, 107]

  • conservation treatment by Albert Glatigny

Date1996 - 1997

In 1996-1997, the daughter of the then owner of the painting, and a pupil of Javier Carrión’s, carried out a second restoration treatment, which gave definitive retouches to the figure. She probably also took the opportunity to apply a new Paraloid B72 varnish.

[Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014, 107]

Date1983

In his report Koepplin mentions a “reinforcement of the panel” on the back which was put in place to correct warping of the support and separation of the joint. The addition, applied by Javier Carrión in 1983, was later removed. Probably for the same reason the separated join was reglued and retouched. The glue for the panel reinforcement and insect holes was probably thickened with lead white. In the wood there are remnants of a white material not from the panel ground application.

[Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014, 107]

  • conservation treatment by Javier Carrión

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lukretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MBAB_12-79/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lukretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MBAB_12-79/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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