Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Titles

Martin Luther

[CDA 2011]

D: Luther

[Inventar 1644, fol. 30][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48, 214]
[Klein, Report 1994]

Portrait of Martin Luthers against a plain blue background, bareheaded, with grey hair, wearing a black cloak, facing right.

[Görres, cda 2015]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Production date
about 1539

Production date

about 1539

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.6 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.6 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder (faintly visible): winged serpent with dropped wings

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder (faintly visible): winged serpent with dropped wings

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: - top:
printed yellow label: 'Schloßmuseum Gotha/ Inv.-Nr./S.G.Nr.:/Alte Nr.:'; handwritten entry in black ink: '56'/'15b'/'341 …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - top:

  • printed yellow label: 'Schloßmuseum Gotha/ Inv.-Nr./S.G.Nr.:/Alte Nr.:'; handwritten entry in black ink: '56'/'15b'/'341 Inv.'

    • below:

  • handwritten in red ink: 'Museum/Nr. 15 (340/341)'

Owner
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Repository
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Location
Gotha
CDA ID
DE_SMG_SG15b
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15b/

Provenance

  • 1644 presumably in the 'Kaufhaus Gotha' [Inventar 1644, fol. 30][1]
  • recorded in Gotha Castle since 1826 [Verzeichnis 1826, fol. 72, No. 154][1]

[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Exhibitions

Gotha 1994
Gotha 2001, No. 1.21

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Schuchardt 2004
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitleLuther seitenrichtig - Luther seitenverkehrt? Die Bildnisse im Leben und im Tod - Werkstattprinzip und Werkstattprivileg Cranachs und seiner Mitarbeiter
Volume2003
JournalWartburg-Jahrbuch
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2004
Pages9-30
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2001 1.22
EditorGotha Kultur, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleErnst der Fromme (1601-1675), Bauherr und Sammler. Katalog zum 400. Geburtstag Herzog Ernsts I. von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication2001
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994 48
EditorStiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
TitleGotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Klein 1994 A 200 Tab. 10
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleLucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages194-200
Show Literature
Klein 1994 B 211, 213, 214
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleHolzartenbestimmung und dendrochronologische Analyse an Gemäldetafeln von Lucas Cranach d.Ä. und seiner Werkstatt
PublicationAllmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages210-219
Show Literature
Schade, Schuttwolf 1994 46, 48 1.14 Fig.p. 46
AuthorWerner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleMalerei und Plastik
Publicationin Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages15-94
Show Literature
Cat. Weimar 1992 No. 25
AuthorHelga Hoffmann
EditorKunstsammlungen zu Weimar
TitleKunstsammlungen zu Weimar. Die deutschen Gemälde des XVI. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationFulda
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1871 156 52
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Dritter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1871
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1871bd3
Show Literature
Parthey 1863-1864 700 (Bd. 1) No. 24
AuthorGustav Parthey
TitleDeutscher Bildersaal. Verzeichnis der in Deutschland vorhandenen Oelbilder verstorbener Maler aller Schulen
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
Böhler, Steinmeyer 11
EditorJulius Wilhelm Böhler, Fritz Steinmeyer
Title[Auction Catalogue]
Place of PublicationLucerne, New York, Berlin
Show Literature
  • Martin Luther, about 1539

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation

Documents

Technical studies

04. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- thin traced lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential facial features

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- transferred from a pre-existing design (traced)

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

17.03.1994Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

'The panel consists of a single beechwood plank (20.0 x 14.4 cm). 93 annual rings were measured, that match the beech wood chronology between the years 1537 and 1445. The most recent annual ring dated is from the year 1537. Usually with beech wood the entire transverse section was used and only the bark removed, therefore the earliest felling date is 1537. Considering a two year seasoning period the painting could have been created no earlier than 1539.'

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Conservation History

Date1996

  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation

Summary of treatment report (see pdf for complete version in German):

  • blistering in the paint layers

  • old, discoloured retouches

  • yellowed varnish

Summary of treatment report (see pdf for complete version in German):

  • varnish removal (with acetone)

  • mechanical removal of black overpaint in the background over the blue paint layer and the discoloured retouches in the flesh paint

  • paint losses reintegrated

  • final dammar varnish applied

  • conservation treatment by Angela Möller
  • photographed by D. Demme

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15b/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15b/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.