Lucretia

Lucretia

Titles

Lucretia

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 240M

Lucrece

[Lumsden 1984, 31, No. 116]

Portrait of a Lady

[Montreal Museum label oin the reverse of the painting]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Beaverbrook Art Gallery, revised 2011]

The fragment depicts Lucretia turned slightly to the left with her head inclined and her gaze directed towards the viewer. A fur-trimmed coat covers her naked upper body and her blond curls are pinned up under a pearl bonnet. She wears a necklace with pearls and precious stones. Beneath

The fragment depicts Lucretia turned slightly to the left with her head inclined and her gaze directed towards the viewer. A fur-trimmed coat covers her naked upper body and her blond curls are pinned up under a pearl bonnet. She wears a necklace with pearls and precious stones. Beneath her breasts the tip of the dagger is visible. There is a curtain depicted in the background.

[Herrschaft, CDA 2011]

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 240M]

Production dates
about 1530
1526 - 37

Production dates

about 1530

[email correspondence H. Goldfarb, Montreal Museum and J. Herrschaft, CDA, 02.06.2011]

1526 - 37

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 240M]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 31.1 x 23.5 cm (fragment)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 31.1 x 23.5 cm (fragment)

  • [Beaverbrook Art Gallery, revised 2011]

  • 12 1/4 x 9 1/2 in.

  • [Montreal Museum label on the reverse of a photograph in the Archive D. Koepplin]

Signature / Dating

none

Inscriptions and Labels

Verso: Backing: '17';
Label attached: 'The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Le Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal Lent by: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Verso: Backing: '17';

  • Label attached: 'The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Le Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal Lent by: Trustees of the Estate// Late Elwood B. Homser & Estate Late Lucille E. Pillow/ No. 37 C School of Lucas Cranach 'Untitled' (Portrait of a Lady) Received May 8, 1969';

  • Label attached: 'J. Chenue, French Packer/ 10 GT. St. Andrew ST/ Shaftesbury Avenue London, W.C.2.';

  • Label attached: '559';

  • Inscribed in Pencil: '14 ru lurk'

  • [Beaverbrook Art Gallery, revised 2011]

Owner
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton
Repository
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton
Location
Fredericton
CDA ID
CDN_BAG_1996-07
FR (1978) Nr.
FR240M
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/CDN_BAG_1996-07/

Provenance

  • 18.03.1930 Auction of the Collection of Vieweg, Braunschweig in R. Lepke's auction house, Berlin, No. 33
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 240M]
    [Handwritten annotation on the reverse of a photograph in the Archive of D. Koepplin]
  • 1969 the Collection of Hosmer Pillow Vaughan, on loan to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Canada
    [Handwritten annotation D. Koepplin as well as Montreal Museum label on the reverse of two photographs in the Archive of D. Koepplin]
  • since 01.11.1996 in ownership of Beaverbrook Art Gallery
    [Beaverbrook Art Gallery, revised 2011]

Exhibitions

Fredericton 2009 / 2010

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Follak 2002
AuthorJan Follak
TitleLucretia zwischen positiver und negativer Anthropologie: Coluccio Salutatis Declamatio Lucretie und die Menschenbilder im exemplum der Lucretia von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication2002
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 118 No. 240M
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 198o
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The painting was altered on numerous occasions: the fragmentary condition of the painting is mentioned by Friedländer / Rosenberg. Therefore it must have been cropped before 1932. The fact that it is listed as Lucretia begs the question whether the overpaint covering her breast and the dagger was applied later (Fig., D. Koepplin Archive). A further illustration shows the painting after the overpaint was removed and bares a label from the Montreal Museum on the reverse, indicating that the treatment may have been carried out while the painting was in the Hosmer Pillow Vaughan Collection.

[Herrschaft, CDA 2011]

In this fragment only the tip of the dagger, which is Lucretia’s attribute has survived. Her pose - the head inclined to the left, the gaze fixed on the viewer, the fur- trimmed overcoat covering both shoulders, the arms which were originally lowered, the pearl necklace as well as the curtain in the background – suggests that this fragment was originally very similar to two other surviving Lucretia paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder or his workshop (FR240D). A further fragmentary image by Lucas Cranach the Elder (FR240L) is also very similar.

[Herrschaft, CDA 2011]

  • Lucretia, about 1530

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall

Condition Reports

Outer Frame: 12 cm. Crack from bottom right corner; nail and scratches 12.5 cm. from bottom right outside edge; nail and scratches 11.3 cm. from the top right outside edge; gouged bottom right corner (front); nail and loss 12cm. from bottom left corner; nail and loss bottom center; nail and loss 12 cm. from top left outside edge; nail and loss top center; gouge 21.5 cm. from top left corner; 2 cm. loss inside edge, bottom left corner; separating, bottom left corner; velvet worn and soiled.

Inner Frame: scratched; gilt cracked and flaking throughout; soiled; scattered holes; 2.5 cm loss, 2 cm. from bottom left corner; 1 cm loss, 6 cm. from top left corner; 2.5 cm. loss, 3.5 cm. from bottom right corner.

Work: (Note all measurements were taken from inside edges of frame.) age cracking throughout; 3 panels buckling; extensive areas of inpainting; dents 5.2 cm. from bottom , 2.7 cm. from left; accretion 1cm. from bottom, 2 cm. from right; 2 cm. vertical crack at top, 4.5. cm from right along panel joint; dent 10.5 cm. from bottom, 2.8. cm from left; varnish uneven and discoloured throughout

[Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, revised 2012]

Conservation History

Date03. 2007

-Frame cleaned with amonium Citrate. Loose flakes consolidated with acrylic emulsion adhesive. Losses filled with Polyfix, toned with watercolour and isolated shellac. Abrasions partial blended with gold mica powder in acrylic emulsion, coated with Acryloid B72. Outer mouldings replaced with custom-made maple frame, stained dark brown

-Varnish and overpaint removed with propanone. Infills removed mechanically as much as possible

-separation of centre and right panel re-glued with hide glue, reinforced with flax canvas

-losses filled with wax putty, isolated with mastic resin in iso- propanol

-coated with Acryloid B72

-inpainted pigments in Acryloid B72

-Varnished with Regalrez 1094 / Kraton G / 2% Tinuvin

-Re-framed with Coroplast backing and felt lining on rabbet

[Beaverbrook Art Gallery, revised 2011]

  • conservation treatment by Adam Karpowicz

Date - 1996

The overpaint was removed from the painting before 1996:

The coat no longer covers Lucretia¿s breast and the background is not just dark but shows a curtain.

This treatmant may have been carried out while the painting was on loan in the Montreal Museum. An illustration in the D. Koepplin Archive shows the painting after the overpaint was removed and on the reverse is a label from the Montreal Museums.

[Photograph in the Archive D. Koepplin]

It is no possible to establish whether the restoration was carried out in the Museum or in a private studio

[E-mail correspondance between H. Goldfarb and J. Herrschaft, 05.2011]

Versions

Lucretia
  • Lucretia, about 1526 - 1537
  • PRIVATE_NONE-P230
  • Painting
  • Private Collection

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CDN_BAG_1996-07/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CDN_BAG_1996-07/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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