Portrait of an old Man

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry, black drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- economic and freehand underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines define the main contours and describe some essential details and the facial features – in part searching lines; no representation of volume with hatching strokes

Deviations:

- minor corrections were made to forms during the painting process; no changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2020]

- wooden panel, probably oak

- the panel is 0.4 cm thick; including cradle: 2,. cm

- the panel was trimmed on all four sides at a later stage

Oak wood was only occasionally used as a support in Lucas Cranach the Younger's workshop (see e. g. Weinberg-Retable in the Franciscan Church, Salzwedel [DE_JFDMS_K700a])

- the grouns ia white and carefully smoothed

- there is no barbe

- there is a white streaky imprimatura applied over the ground

A streaky imprimatura has been observed frequently on paintings from the Cranach workshop.

- the underdrawing was executed with a dry dark drawing material, probably black chalk

- the contours and the essential details are described with a few relatively short and some curved lines that run in the opposite direction; there are also occasional parallel hatching strokes

Underdrawings executed in black chalk have been observed on numerous paintings from the Cranach workshop. Stylistically the underdrawing is similar to that found on other works by Cranach the Younger.

- using XRF analysis elements were detected in the paint and in combination with their optical charateristics the following pigments were identified:

flesh paint : Pb: lead white; Zn: Zinc white (?); Sn, Pb: lead-tin-yellow I (?); Hg: vermilion, Fe, Mn: iron oxide/ ochre; Cu: Cu-based blue-, green pigment

black: Pb: lead white; Zn: zinc white (?); Hg: vermilion; Fe: iron oxide/ ochre; Cr: chrome-based yellow-, orange-, green pigment; Cu: Cu-based blue-, green pigment; Ca: chalk/ gypsum

grey: Pb: lead white; Zn: zinc white (?); Hg: vermilion; Fe: iron oxide/ ochre; Cr: chrome-based yellow-, orange-, green pigment; Cu: Cu-based blue-, green pigment; Ca: chalk/ gypsum

light grey: Pb: lead white; Zn: zinc white (?); Hg: vermilion; Fe: iron oxide/ ochre; Cr: chrome-based yellow-, orange-, green pigment; Cu: Cu-based blue-, green pigment; Ca: chalk/ gypsum

brown: Pb: lead white; Zn: zinc white (?); Hg: vermilion; Fe: iron oxide/ ochre; Cr: Cr: chrome-based yellow-, orange-, green pigment; Ca: chalk/ gypsum

yellow-brown: Pb: lead white; Zn: zinc white (?); Hg: vermilion; Fe: iron oxide/ ochre; Cr: chrome-based yellow-, orange-, green pigment; Cu: Cu-based blue-, green pigment; Ca: chalk/ gypsum

Using XRF analysis pigments were identified that were commonly employed in 16th century European panel painting (e. g. lead white, lead-tin-yellow, vermilion, iron oxide, copper-based blue pigments) but also pigments that only became available in later centuries (zinc white and chrome-based pigments). The modern pigments were probably used in the retouching paint.

The extensive damage precludes a more precise attribution.

[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2018]

The painting was considerably damaged at some stage and subsequently extensively reworked. Both the x-radiograph and the infrared reflectogram show that the background was scraped off and repainted. Examination under the stereomicroscope revealed small islands of blue paint in the background, suggesting that it was originally blue. There are also traces of black paint in the background at the top left. These may be remnants of an inscription or coat of arms. The face, draperies and hands are also abraded and exhibit extensive retouching.

The join at the centre of the panel is slightly open at the top and the bottom. There is some paint loss here. Further loss was observed in the paint layers and the wooden support along the edges of the panel. The varnish is recent.

[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2018]