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Lucas Cranach the Elder - Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau - Altarpiece of the Virgin, or so-called Princes' Altarpiece [left wing] - Overall

Lucas Cranach the Elder - Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau - Altarpiece of the Virgin, or so-called Princes' Altarpiece [left wing] - Detail Images

Connected Works:

Lucas Cranach the Elder - Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau - Altarpiece of the Virgin, or so-called Princes' Altarpiece [right wing] - Overall

Lucas Cranach the Elder - Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau - Altarpiece of the Virgin, or so-called Princes' Altarpiece [central panel] - Overall

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Painting:

CDA ID / Inventory Number	DE_AGGD_7a
Persistent Link	https://lucascranach.org/DE_AGGD_7a
FR (1978) No.	FR020

Title:

Altarpiece of the Virgin, or so-called Princes' Altarpiece [left wing]

[CDA 2011]

Attribution:

Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, revised 2011] [Flechsig 1900 A, 85, 88, 266, 283][1] [Hosäus 1883, No. 1557, 49, 95][1] [1][Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]
Matthias Grünewald	[Müller 1879, 321][1] [1][Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]
Unknown	Pseudogrünewald [Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899, No. 127][1] [1][Klingen, Cat. Dessau1996, Bd. 1, 23]
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Dating:

about 1510	[Grimm 1998, 73][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 73, No. 20]
about 1507 - 1509	[Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]
about 1509	[Sandner 1998 B, 88]
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Owner / Repository / Location:

Owner	Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau
Repository	Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau
Location	Dessau

Dimensions:

Dimensions of support: 106 x 41.5 x 0.9 cm Dimensions including frame: 116.5 x 51.3 x 5 cm [Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, revised 2011]

Support:

Painting on lime wood [Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]

Signature / Date:

None

Description:

The black background of the central panel extends over the wing panels. Here Friedrich the Wise kneels with Johann the Steadfast and both donors. Their heads together with the heads of the female saints and that of the Virgin on the central panel create a hierarchical triangular arrangement that lends the compostion composure, while at the same time allowing the electors to participate in the solemn atmosphere of the central scene. The space behind the dukes is occupied by standing figures of saints, who are identified by their attributes as St Bartholomew (left) and James the Elder (right). As a special honour St Bartholomew rests his hand on the ruling Friedrich's shoulder. This side dominates over the right wing due to his bright white coat. [Görres, in Bonnet, Kopp-Schmitt, Görres 2010, 156]

Provenance:

- origin unknown, possibly originally intended for the Lady Chapel in the church of Wittenberg Castle
[Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]
- old ducal Inv. No. 1557, Joachim-Ernst-Stiftung
[Anhaltische Gemälde-Galerie, Dessau 2011]
- 1879 recorded in the 'Gotischen Haus' in Wörlitz (war cabinet)
[Klingen, Cat. Dessau 1996, Bd. 1, 23]

- Wörlitz (R.D.A), Gotisches Haus, No. 1557
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 73, No. 20]

Exhibitions:

Dresden 1899, No. 127
Erfurt 1903, No. 184
Berlin 1937, No. 15, Fig. 20
Weimar, Wittenberg 1953, 20, No. 3
Dresden 1971, 100-102, No. 104, Fig.
Weimar 1972, No. 3, Figs. 36-37
Berlin 1983, 109f., No. B47, Figs. 92, 93

Sources / Publications:

Reference on Page

Catalogue Number

Figure/Plate

Cat. Coburg 2018

124, 125, 127, 128, fn. 32

under nos. 21, 22

Trümper 2015

Fig. 5

Melzer 2015 B

152

Ruoss, Giesicke 2015

177

Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz 2015

136-137

Schuchardt 2015 A

Exhib. Cat. Weimar 2015

115, 130

Bonnet, Görres 2015

44- 47

p. 44, 47

Aikema 2010

Fig. 4, p. 22

Exhib. Cat. Coburg 2010

167

Heydenreich 2007 A

19, 67, 68, 100, 102, 120, 122, 138, 150, 151, 187, 188, 193, 201, 204, 303, 394

Figs. 4, 138, 161, 165, 249

Brinkmann 2007

Heydenreich 2007 B

42, 44

24, 31, 32

Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005

54, 60, 90, 108, 137 (English version 25, 27, 37, 42, 51)

under nos. 5, 7, 18, 26, 38

Melzer 2005

50, 51, 54

Fig. 2

Schade 2003

19, 20

Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003

166-168, 170

Grimm 1998

73, 75-80

Fig. 9.25

Bünsche 1998 A

Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 1998

129

14.10

Wittmann 1998

169

Heydenreich 1998 A

191

Sandner 1998 B

87, 88

Schuchardt 1998 B

Cat. Dessau 1996

23-25

No. 7

Plate 5

Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994

369, 371

Schuchardt 1994

69-73

Figs. 70, 71

Thümmel 1994

167, 168, 170

Sandner, Ritschel 1994

188, 189, 191-193

Figs. A134, A135, A136, A137, A138, A139

Erichsen 1994 A

151, 158

Fig. A94

Hinz 1993

Fig. 36f.

Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1983

109f.,

No. B47

Figs. 92, 93

Hintzenstern 1981

58, 59

with Fig.

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

No. 20

Fig. 20

Schade 1974

38f., 385

Figs. 56, 57, 58

Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B

169

No. 3

Figs. 36, 37

Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1971

100-102

No. 104

with Fig.

Posse 1943

No. 26

Fig. 26

Posse 1942

No. 26

Fig. 26

Lilienfein 1942

Fig. 22

Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937

No. 15

Fig. 20

Mayer 1933

109

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

Heyck 1927

76, 82

Figs. 24, 25

Cat. Dessau 1927

No. 7

Fig. 7

Glaser 1923

Figs. 71, 72, 73

Hartmann 1913

No. 1557

Friedländer 1905

Fig. 7

Exhib. Cat. Erfurt 1903

184

Michaelson 1902

18-30, 46, 49

Figs. 6-8

Flechsig 1900 B

Plates 9, 10

Flechsig 1900 A

85f., 88, 266, 283

Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899

No. 127

Hosäus 1883

49, 95

No. 1557

Müller 1879

321

Rossmann 1876

Related Works:

Versions:
DE_KSVC_M166
Friedrich III the Wise, Elector of Saxony
Kunstsammlung der Veste Coburg

Versions:
	DE_KSVC_M166 Friedrich III the Wise, Elector of Saxony Kunstsammlung der Veste Coburg