St Christopher

St Christopher

Title

St Christopher

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, No. 27]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

St Christopher is depicted in a landscape wading through a river with the infant Christ on his shoulders. The saint has a pouch containing fish and bread attached to his belt and uses a thick branch as a stick. The naked child wears a red cloak that flatters up behind

St Christopher is depicted in a landscape wading through a river with the infant Christ on his shoulders. The saint has a pouch containing fish and bread attached to his belt and uses a thick branch as a stick. The naked child wears a red cloak that flatters up behind him, giving a dynamic element to the calm atmosphere of this painting.

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

Attributions
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, no. 27] [Exhib. Cat. Brüx-Komotau 1928, 64, no. 258] [Schmidt 1913, 41, 57]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Schmidt 1913, 41, 57]

Production date
about 1540

Production date

about 1540

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, no. 27]

Dimensions
Dimensions of painted surface: 86.5 x 24 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 86.5 x 24 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 101 x 39 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

Owner
Muzeum Karlovy Vary, p. o. Karlovarského kraje (Museum Karlovy Vary)
Repository
Muzeum Královská mincovna Jáchymov (Museum Royal Mint Jáchymov)
Location
Jáchymov
CDA ID
CZ_MKMJ_Uo602
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_MKMJ_Uo602/

Provenance

  • probably from the church of St Joachim in Jáchymov, found in the attic of the cemetery church in Jáchymov (Joachimsthal)
  • the painting is first mentioned in a manuscript written by Dean A. P. Böhm describing the contents of the church of St Joachim in Jachymov prior to the great fire in the church in 1873; according to the text the painting was located behind the main altar [Schmidt 1913, 41, 57]
    [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

Exhibitions

Brüx-Komotau 1928, no. 258
Prague 2005, no. 27

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Chamonikola 2005 B 27, 28(English version 12)
AuthorKaliopi Chamonikola
TitleLucas Cranach a ceské zeme/ Lucas Cranach and the Czech Lands
Publicationin Kaliopi Chamonikola, ed., Pod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme, Under the winged Serpent, Lucas Cranach and the Czech Lands, Exhib. Prague 2005
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Pages13-33 (6-15)
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005 110-111 (English version 42-43) 27 Pl. p. 111
EditorObrazárna Pražského hradu, Kaliopi Chamonikola
TitlePod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme. Under the winged Serpent. Lucas Cranach and the Czech Land
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Royt 2001 357
AuthorJan Royt
TitleHorní mesto Jáchymov, reformace a umení. (Gotické umení a jeho historické souvislosti. 1. Sborník grantového projektu Gotické umení v severních Cechách.)
JournalUstecky sbornik historicky
Place of PublicationÚstí nad Labem
Year of Publication2001
Pages351-359
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brüx 1928 64 258
AuthorJosef Opitz
TitleGotische Malerei und Plastik Nordwestböhmens
Place of PublicationBrüx-Komotau
Year of Publication1928
Show Literature
Schmidt, R. 1913 41, 57
AuthorRichard Schmidt
TitleDer politische Bezirk Skt Joachimsthal. Topographie der historischen und Kunst-Denkmale
SeriesTopographie der historischen und Kunst-Denkmale im Königreiche Böhmen von der Urzeit bis zum Anfange des 19. Jahrhunderts
Volume40
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication1913
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The narrow vertical format of the painting into which the robust figure of the saint is squeezed, the trimmed right side of the panel and the unpainted reverse suggest it was probably the left fixed wing of an altar consisting of six component parts which has not survived.

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

  • St Christopher, about 1540

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • irr
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

03. 2018Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid, black medium and fine tipped brush

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed underdrawing; presumably after a pre-existing design

- no hatching-strokes visible

Function:

- binding for the final painted version with only very occasional corrections to forms

Attribution:

- probably the Master of the Münzeraltarpiece (Balthasar Pflaum?)

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2019]

  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Support

- limewood, 12 mm thick

Underdrawing

The painting was examined in the National Gallery of Prague. Infrared reflectography revealed an underdrawing uncharacteristic of the Cranach workshop, consisting of a very fine and almost invisible grey preparatory drawing blended with the painting.

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 42, No. 27]

Conservation History

Date2005

  • conservation treatment by Radana Hamsíková

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'St Christopher', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_MKMJ_Uo602/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'St Christopher', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_MKMJ_Uo602/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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