Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Title

Martin Luther

[Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz; http://museum-digital.de/san/index.php?t=objekt&oges=36106; accessed 24 March 2015]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[cda 2015]

The painting shows Martin Luther in advanced years as a half-length figure facing left against a blue background. Luther wears a beige sleeveless coat over a black undergarment. The coat is trimmed and lined with fur. Luther holds a closed book in his hands.

[Görres, cda 2015]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger (probably)
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger (probably)

[http://museum-digital.de/san/index.php?t=objekt&oges=36106; accessed 24 March 2015]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Melzer 2005, 54]

Production dates
about 1550
after 1547

Production dates

about 1550

[Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz; http://museum-digital.de/san/index.php?t=objekt&oges=36106; accessed 24 March 2015]

after 1547

[Melzer, in Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 54]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 65.6 x 65.2 x 1-1.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 65.6 x 65.2 x 1-1.5 cm

  • [cda 2015]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscription on two separate panels, which serve as the wing panels to the Luther portrait. See Interpretation/History/Discussion for the …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • Inscription on two separate panels, which serve as the wing panels to the Luther portrait. See Interpretation/History/Discussion for the text.

  • [cda 2015]

Owner
Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz
Repository
Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz, Gotisches Haus (The Gothic House)
Location
Wörlitz
CDA ID
DE_KsDW_I-51
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KsDW_I-51/

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz 2015 136-137
EditorKulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz
EditingWolfgang Savelsberg
TitleCranach im Gotischen Haus in Wörlitz, [Wörlitz, Gotisches Haus, 15 May - 4 Oct. 2015]
SeriesKataloge und Schriften der Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz
Volume35
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Melzer 2015 B 157 18
AuthorReinhard Melzer
TitleDer Cranach-Bestand des Gotischen Hauses
Publicationin Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz, ed., Cranach im Gotischen Haus in Wörlitz, Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages149-162
Show Literature
Ruoss, Giesicke 2015 177
AuthorMylene Ruoss, Barbara Giesicke
TitleDie Glasgemälde als Bestandteil der altdeutschen Sammlung im Gotischen Haus zu Wörlitz
Publicationin Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz, ed., Cranach im Gotischen Haus in Wörlitz, Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages171-178
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005 54
EditorHarald Marx, Karin Kolb, Ingrid Mössinger
TitleCranach Anlässlich der Ausstellung Cranach vom 13. November 2005 bis 12. März 2006 in den Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz. Eine Ausstellung in Kooperation mit der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Melzer 2005 51, 52, 54, 58 Fn. 29
AuthorReinhard Melzer
TitleCranach in Wörlitz. Das Gotische Haus als frühe Sammlungsstätte altdeutscher Malerei
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages44-58
Show Literature
Rode 1818
AuthorAugust Rode
TitleDas Gothische Haus zu Wörlitz, nebst anderen Ergänzungen der Beschreibung des Herzoglichen Landhauses und Gartens zu Wörlitz
Place of PublicationDessau
Year of Publication1818
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

Portrait of the reformer Martin Luther against a monochrome light blue background, facing left. His hair is grey and he holds a dark bound book in his hands. He wears a dark shirt with a white and red collar and over this a cloak with brown fur trimming. The painting corresponds with the portrait type frequently produced in the Cranach workshop of Martin Luther as an older man (from about 1540). Two further text panels are part of the assembly lending the work the appearance of a winged altarpiece. A similar work exists in the Staatliches Museum Schwerin.

[Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz; http://museum-digital.de/san/index.php?t=objekt&oges=36106; accessed 24 March 2015]

Text on the left panel in golden lettering on a black ground in two paragraphs:

'NACH DER GEBVRDT CHRISTI DO MA=

ZALT M CCCC . LXXXXIII AM ZEHEN

DEN TAG NOVEMBRIS VMB ELLF OHR IN

DER NACHT WARDT ZV EISLEBEN GE=

BOREN MARTINVS LVTER VON AR=

MEN EHRLICHEN ELTERN . IOHANSEN .

LVTHER SEINEM VATER . VND MARGA=

RITA SEINER MVTTER . VND IST AVS

WOLBEDACHTEN RADT SEINER ELTER

DIEWEIL ER EIN NATVRLICHE NEIGV=

NG ZV GVTEN KVNSTEN VND AL=

LER TVGENNT HETT . ZVR GEMEINE

KINDER SCHVL FLEISIG / GEHA=

LTEN . HERNACH GEN ERFORD

AVF DIE HOHSCHVL GE=

SCHICKT WORDENN

IM . 1517 . IAR NACH DER GEBVRDT

CHRISTI AM NEGSTEN TAG VOR

ALLER HEILIGEN . HAT MARTINVS LV=

THER DER HEILIGEN SCHRIFT DOC=

TOR ERSTLICH WIDER DES BABST

INDVLGENZ . DAS IST WIDER DEN ABLAS .'

Continuation of the text on the right panel in golden lettering on a black ground, also in two paragraphs:

'EIN ÖFFENTLICHE SCHRIFT AVSGEHN

LASEN VND DIE SELB AN DIE SCHL=

OSKIRCH ZV WITTENBERG HEFTE

LASEN DADVRCH DEN NACHMALS

DER FVRNEMBST ARTICKEL CHRIS=

TLICHER LEHR WIDER ERRLERET IST

NEMLICH WIE WIR VOR GOT MVS=

SEN SELIG WERDEN . VND VER=

GEBVNG DER SÜNDEN AL=

LEIN DURCH DEN GLAV=

BEN AN CHRISTVM

DEN SON GOTTES

ERLANGEN .

IM 1546 IAR IN DER NACHT

DIE DA IST ZWISCHEN DEM 17

VND 18 TAG FEBRVARII VMB DREY

OHR : IST DOCTOR MARTINVS LV=

THER IN RECHTER VND WARHAF=

TIGER ANRVFVNG GOTTES . AVS DI=

SEM JAMERTHAL ABGESCHIDEN .

NACH DEM ER BIS IN 63 IAR MIT

SEINEM LEBEN VOLLENDET HET .'

[Görres, cda 2015]

  • Martin Luther, about 1550

Images

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

Technical studies

03. 2015Technical Examination

Support

- the support consists of three vertically aligned beech wood planks

- the reverse exhibits an original black coating and remains of a rebate along the left, right and top edges

- the joins are covered on the reverse with tow

[Heydenreich, cda 2015]

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich

03. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed underdrawing, both freehand and copied (traced)

- fine lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate the main contours and define essential details and facial features; no representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define forms; almost no changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger

Comments:

- probably transferred from a pre-existing design

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2015]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Condition Reports

Date03. 2015

Two vertical battens have been attached to the reverse of the panel one of which has been glued over the join.

[Heydenreich, cda 2015]

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich

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_KsDW_I-51/ (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_KsDW_I-51/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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