Lucretia

Titles

Lucretia	[CDA 2011]
Lukretia	[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood	[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]
Lime wood	[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Lucretia is depicted in three quarter profile against a dark background as a nude figure wearing only a transparent veil and a double row of red pearls. Her left arm is angled behind her head, while her right one is raised in front of her chest holding a dagger.

[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung

[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 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]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Kunstmuseum Basel, revised 2011] 'Lucas Cranach der Ältere oder der Jüngere' [Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]
Lucas Cranach the Younger	'Lucas Cranach der Ältere oder der Jüngere' [Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Production dates: about 1525
about 1526-1530

Production dates

about 1525	[Friedländer, paper label on the reverse]
about 1526-1530	[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932, 66]
about 1535-1540	[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 79 x 64 x 0.3-0.5 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 79 x 64 x 0.3-0.5 cm
(thinned, later reinforced (0.9 cm thick) and cradled; the edges of the painting were reworked; the size was altered slightly)
[Heydenreich, CDA 2010]
Dimension including the frame: 95.5 x 80.0 cm
[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]

Signature / Dating: None

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the cradle:

top right:
Printed paper label: 'KUNSTMUSEUM BASEL/ coat-of-arms/ Nr./'; '1628 (Leon Birtschansky/ Paris 1934)/ Lucas Cranach, …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

Reverse of the cradle:
- top right:
Printed paper label: 'KUNSTMUSEUM BASEL/ coat-of-arms/ Nr./'; '1628 (Leon Birtschansky/ Paris 1934)/ Lucas Cranach, d. Ae./ Lucretia, Halbfigur/ 1943 [handwritten entry in black ink]'
- top left:
Printed paper label, glued on: 'Catalog 'ons: Les tableaux de Lucas Cranach, par MM. Max J. Friedländer/ et J. Rosenberg (edit. Berlin 1932) sous le No 194./Reproduit meme ouvrage.'
Printed paper label, glued on:
''Je considere ce tableau, comme une oevre authentique de Lucas/Cranachle Vieux executee vers 1526'/ DR MAX FRIEDLÄNDER./'
Stamp: 'Douane Centrale/... Paris'
- top centre:
in blue pencil: '23367'
- top batten of the cradle:
in pencil: '/3'
[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]

Owner: Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel
Repository: Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel
Location: Basel

CDA ID: CH_KMB_1628
FR (1978) Nr.: FR235
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/CH_KMB_1628/

Provenance

Collection of Mme. Paul Guery, Paris. Auction Mme. E. M. des C., Paris, 19. XI. 1928, No. 14
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932, 66]
sale in the Gal. Charpentier, Paris, 8. Dec. 1933
[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666, No. 583]
1934 purchased by the Kunstmuseum

[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]

Exhibitions

Basel 1974, No. 583

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich, Jana Herrschaft
Title	Una Lucrecia de Lucas Cranach el Viejo en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao / A Lucretia by Lucas Cranach the Elder at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
Journal	Bilbao Fine Arts Museum Bulletin
Issue	8
Year of Publication	2014
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7016/2097/3068/Herrschaft_Heydenreich_2014_A_Lucretia_by_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf
Pages	85-109

Show Literature

Follak 2002

Author	Jan Follak
Title	Lucretia 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 Publication	Konstanz
Year of Publication	2002
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

117

No. 235

Fig. 235

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

666

583

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

Show Literature

Auct. Cat. Paris 1933

Editor	Galerie Charpentier, Paris
Title	Gal. Charpentier, Paris, 8. Dez. 1933
Place of Publication	Paris
Year of Publication	1933

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

194

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

Show Literature

Lindau 1883

225

Author	Martin Bernhard Lindau
Title	Lucas Cranach. Ein Lebensbild aus dem Zeitalter der Reformation
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1883

Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

Koepplin considers the painting to be an autographed, unsigned serial production by Cranach and compares it with the Lucretia (75.5 x 57.5 cm, covering her vulva with her left hand) auctioned by Fischer in 1967. Both are three-quarter length figures covered only with a veil and have the same pinched lips.

[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. 1974, 666, No. 583]

Lucretia, about 1525

Images

Technical studies

2011Technical Examination

Framing

- new frame

- 95.5 x 80.0 cm

- wood; decorated, Italian frame; gilded with decorative elements in Sgraffito-technique

[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]

03. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- possibly dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- thin lines; barely visible

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; where visible the lines delineate contours; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- barely visible; the dagger is only roughly indicated

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

03. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

created by Kunstmuseum Basel

03. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

UV-light photography

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

Condition Reports

Date2011

a cradle was attached to the reverse of the panel
numerous old damages, losses and abrasion, and fills
extensive old woodworm damage (see x-radiograph)

[Öffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, revised 2011]

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/CH_KMB_1628/ (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/CH_KMB_1628/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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