Margrave Casimir of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1481-1527)

- beech wood

- the support consists of one vertical plank

- the panel is 6 - 8 mm thick

The reverse of the panel is relatively smooth, with some visible plane marks. It exhibits a wide bevel on all four sides and a black coating , which was applied after the panel was framed, as the edges, with the exception of the bottom one exhibit an irregular broad unpainted strip.

The original format of the panel has been altered slightly: both sides have presumably been marginally trimmed at an angle (the top of the panel is 4mm narrower than the bottom). The width has been increased by the addition of battens, 1.5 cm wide, which were butt-joined. The bottom edge was also trimmed, whereas the top edge appears to have remained untouched. If one assumes that the panel size was still the original one when the coating was applied it is possible to reconstruct the original size of the panel from the widths of the unpainted edges. Thus it can be assumed that the top edge was trimmed minimally and that considerably more was removed from the bottom edge, while only a small amount appears to have been removed from the sides.

When the alterations to the format of the panel occurred has not been documented. The conservation documentation from 1927 only records the removal of overpaint from the background.

- not analysed, presumably a mixture of calcium carbonate and glue

The underdrawing is particularly visible in the areas of the flesh paint and functions to indicate the forms for the painted version. A single line was employed to describe the shape of the nose and to define the nostrils, the bags under the sitter’s eyes and his lips. The medium appears to be dry (friable in character). The outline may have been transferred from a template to the panel employing a tracing technique.

[Alice Hoppe-Harnoncourt, KHM, Juli 2011]

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]

The blue background exhibits a dark grey underpaint. In raking light the difference is visible between the background, which is thicker due to the underlayers, and the thin application of paint in the figure. A slight ridge can be observed along the contours. In the x-radiograph the background, which contains lead white in the grey paint, is very prominent.

The flesh paint was applied first, followed by the clothes and fur, and finally the background, which also defined the contours of the figure.

The paint application for the face and dress is very thin. The fur was undermodelled employing an initial transparent layer in a mid-brown tone, which blocked in the basic shape and exhibits obvious brushwork. Light and dark zones in the fur were achieved by varying the thickness of the layers rather than by admixtures. Select areas were emphasized and structured by painting very fine, dark hairs possibly employing a brush with a number of tips. The shape and texture of the beard was achieved with single light and dark hairs painted on a thinly applied monochrome brown base tone. What we often observe in Cranach’s paintings is that single hairs (or other fine details) are executed during a late stage of the painting process, like here along the contours of the left shoulder or along the right contours of the face. The paint employed for these final details often shows a tendency to bead off, a phenomenon which may be due to the binding medium.

The painting process described here is clearly visible in the infrared reflectograph. The brushwork of the underlying layers in the background is obvious as is the fact that the contours of the figure were redefined when the background was painted. Elsewhere areas of paint were applied next to each other without overlapping, like between the background and the fur on the left, or between the fur and the face and blouse (also on the left) – here a thin strip of ground was left barely covered. Several finger prints are visible at the top edge of the painting in the centre, which are probably in the underlying paint layers of the background as they are not visible on the paint surface.

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]

The panel consists of a single beech wood plank (37.5 x 25.5 cm) and has 159 annual rings. They could be dated between 1520 1nd 1362 with the assistance of the beech wood chronology. The youngest heartwood ring dates from 1520. However, the panel is from the same tree as the paintings on the list (see pdf), therefore a felling date of 1524 must be assumed for this painting. Usually with beech wood the entire transverse section was used and only the bark was removed, therefore the earliest felling date is 1524. Considering a two year seasoning period the painting could have been created no earlier than 1526.

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk?/hard drawing implement

Type/Ductus:

- economic underdrawing; copied or traced

- fine lines

Function:

- binding for the painted version; the lines define the main contours, describe forms within shapes and facial features; no hatching-strokes to define volume

Deviations:

- only minor adjustments were made to the forms during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder and/or workshop

Comments:

- transferred from a pre-existing design (traced)

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

Peter Klein 30.9.1994 and 11.5.2011: The youngest annual ring is from the year 1520. However this panel was made from the same tree as the panels listed in the pdf document, and the tree cannot have been felled before 1524. A two year seasoning period must also be considered, therefore this painting could not have been created before 1526.

The tree cannot have been felled before (Dr. Peter Klein, Universität Hamburg, Ordinariat of Wood Biology, Report from 30.9.1994 and 11.05.2011).

see: [A. Hoppe-Harnoncourt, Exhib. Cat. Vienna 2011, No. 186]

[free translation, Smith, cda 2013]

159 annual rings were measured on this single beech wood plank, which is framed by two narrow battens. The rings can be dated between 1520 and 1362. Allowing for the shortest possible seasoning period the painting could have been executed in 1522.

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]

Support:

The panel is in a stable condition and is not warped. The additions on the sides are now covered by the frame.

Paint Layers:

The paint layers are in a stable condition. In the area of the fur some isolated very fine flaking can be observed as well as a very fine net of craquelure (drying cracks). There is a somewhat larger damage visible on the left side of the fur (loss, abrasion, see infrared reflectograph) as well as isolated small losses and retouches. There are more losses along the left edge of the painting and in the background on the top left. Retouching is located mainly along the side edges and in the background on the left.

An old black and white photograph shows the painting with a completely overpainted background, the additions on the sides were integrated into the image at that stage. This overpaint was removed during the restoration campaign in 1927, and only remnants are still visible on the additions.

At this stage Cranach's signature was revealed in the background on the left. However the number indicating the decade is missing in the date - possibly due to numerous attempts to uncover it, as the dating of the painting to 1512 or 1522 has been disputed [see: Alice Hoppe-Harnoncourt, Exhib. Cat. Vienna 2011, No. 186].

Varnish:

The varnish has yellowed and is relatively degraded, which is particularly disturbing in the dark areas of the painting like the fur and the robe.

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]

Restoration files: 1, (10.1927 - 08.1928), Post Nr.454

Männl. Portr. Hintergrund übermalt, diesen abgedeckt, Aufdeckung der originalen Signatur, restaur., Proksch (Male portrait, background overpainted, removal of the overpaint, uncovered the original signature)

[Monika Strolz, Kunsthistorisches Museum, revised 2011]

[Translation, Smith, cda 2013]