Winged altarpiece shaped like a heart (Colditzer Altar): The Crucifixion [central panel]

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry medium, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- detailed underdrawing

- freehand underdrawing; fine, thin, and precise lines (long and short)

Function:

- rough indication for the final painted version; used to delineate shapes, forms and spaces; scant representation of volume in the figures on the cross

Deviations:

- numerous minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define forms

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

- limewood (Tilia sp.)

- 12 boards

- width at the centre from the left: 10.5, 15.1, 11.1, 18.2, 9.6, 9.8, 14.6, 11.3, 12.5, 10.8, 13.4, 8.6 cm

- thinned slightly to a thickness of 2.2 cm

- the knots were left in the wood

- original size

- a ground was applied and the panel and it was painted before it was framed

- lines were incised freehand along the burr at the edge of the ground and painted surface

- white imprimatura

- soft pen

- the contours and main lines within the forms are indicated

- numerous deviations in the painted version:

On the right below the horse's neck there is a drawing, which is difficult to interpret. It may be a horse's bridal, that has been decorated; the sword of the man on the far left hangs to his right; in relation to the painted version the positions have been shifted slightly

- the paint has been stippled to imitate wool or felt

- the fine hairs were executed with a feather

- the Virgin's halo is oil gilded

- the man on the right edge wears a cap with a peak, which was excuted in sgraffitto

- the right foot of the henchman who divides Christ's robe has been moved further forward

- there are different types of drying cracks in the ochre, red, blue, brown and black tones

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

Support:

• the panel has been thinned to a thickness of 2.2 cm

• the joins were later partially reglued

• the wood exhibits numerous splits

• the joins are partially loose

• there are small splits along the top and bottom edges

• there is a loss at the top left

Reverse:

• cradled

• the wood exhibits splits, which were caused when it was sawn

• stained brown

Painted surface:

• the Virgin's blue robe, which appears greenish due to a yellowed varnish was overpainted with a green glaze in a past restoration campaign, that has since been removed

• losses in the paint layers above the application of tow

• losses along the joins and the splits

• whitish, very brittle varnish on all five panels obscures the brilliance of the paint (Water damage?)

• there are different types of drying cracks, which were presumably the reason why the panels were overpainted at such an early stage

• wide craquellée in the red paint is in the top glaze of the shadow over which paint was applied

• the shadows in the blue and green robes have turned brown

• the paint containing lead white has become more transparent and where it overlaps the motive below is visible

• depressed paint layers and old scratches mostly in the upper and lower areas

• old paint losses in the Virgin's face and robe have been retouched

• cleaning test above Christ's left arm

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]