Christ and the Adulteress

Christ and the Adulteress

Title

Christ and the Adulteress

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/40]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/40]

The painting depicts a scene reported in St John's gospel (Joh 8,1-11): while Christ is teaching in the temple the scribes and pharisees bring him a woman who has been accused of adultery. They ask him how he intends to treat this case under Mosaic law, which commands the stoning

The painting depicts a scene reported in St John's gospel (Joh 8,1-11): while Christ is teaching in the temple the scribes and pharisees bring him a woman who has been accused of adultery. They ask him how he intends to treat this case under Mosaic law, which commands the stoning of the adulteress (Dtn 22,23). They wish to tempt Christ with the question so they can institute proceedings against him. But Christ does not answer, instead he kneels down and writes something on the ground. As he rises he tells the accusers that whoever is without sin should throw the first stone. He kneels again to write on the ground. While he is doing this the scribes depart without throwing a stone at the woman.

Christ does not condemn the adulteress, but he warns her not to sin again.

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/40]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, no. 22]
[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/40]

Production dates
after 1537
1535 - 1539

Production dates

after 1537

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/40]

1535 - 1539

'End of the 30s' [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, no. 22]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 126.5 x 75 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 126.5 x 75 cm

  • [Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/40]

Inscriptions and Labels

at the top centre: 'WER VNTER EVCH OHNE SVNDE IST DER WERFFE DEN EHRSTEN STEIN AVF SIE IO VIII'

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • at the top centre:

  • 'WER VNTER EVCH OHNE SVNDE IST DER WERFFE DEN EHRSTEN STEIN AVF SIE IO VIII'

  • [Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/40]

Owner
Lobkowiczké sbírky (Lobkowicz Collections)
Repository
Zámek Nelahozeves (Nelahozeves Castle)
Location
Nelahozeves
CDA ID
CZ_ZN_LR5161
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_ZN_LR5161/

Exhibitions

Prague 2005, no. 22
Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/40

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Frank 2018 126, 130-134 Fig. 45
AuthorKatharina Frank
TitleDie biblischen Historiengemälde der Cranach-Werkstatt. Christus und die Ehebrecherin als lehrreiche 'Historie' im Zeitalter der Reformation
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2018
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Wittenb 2015 B 372-373 3/40
EditorRoland Enke, Jutta Strehle, Katja Schneider
TitleLucas Cranach der Jüngere - Entdeckung eines Meisters, Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Augusteum, 26 June - 1 November 2015
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 228-229
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007 20, 37
EditorGerhard Ermischer, Andreas Tacke
TitleCranach im Exil. Aschaffenburg um 1540. Zuflucht - Schatzkammer - Residenz. Ausstellungskatalog Schloss Johannisburg und Kunsthalle Jesuitenkirche
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Chamonikola 2005 B 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 100, 101 (English version 39, 40) 22 Pl. p. 101
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
Kotkova 2005 B 43 (English version 19)
AuthorOlga Kotková
TitleLucas Cranach v Národní galerii v Praze- úvod k technologii obrazu/ Lucas Cranach at the National Gallery in Prague. Introduction to the painting technology
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
Pages42-44 (19-20)
Show Literature
Andersson 1981 50-53
AuthorChristiane D. Anderson
TitleReligiöse Bilder Cranachs im Dienste der Reformation
Publicationin L.W. Spitz, ed., Humanismus und Reformation als kulturelle Kräfte in der Deutschen Geschichte
Place of PublicationBerlin, New York
Year of Publication1981
Pages43-76
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 514-516
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
  • Christ and the Adulteress, after 1537

Images

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

Technical studies

10. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

- An underdrawing is not readily visible. Isolated delicate fine lines executed with a stylus can be identified and may indicate the presence of an economical underdrawing.

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2017]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_ZN_LR5161/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_ZN_LR5161/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.