The Holy Night

The Holy Night

Titles

The Holy Night

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]
[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 30, No. 139]

The Nativity

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 361]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[cda 2012]

Alder wood

[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 30, no. 139]
[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 103]

The Virgin and Joseph kneel in worship before the infant Christ, who lies naked in a stone trough. To the right is an ox and a donkey. Beside the trough are six small naked angels. A host of small angels float above the group against a dark background. At the

The Virgin and Joseph kneel in worship before the infant Christ, who lies naked in a stone trough. To the right is an ox and a donkey. Beside the trough are six small naked angels. A host of small angels float above the group against a dark background. At the top left the annunciation to the shepherds is visible and on the right there are three bearded men.

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. 361]
[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 30, no. 139]
[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 103]

Production dates
after 1537
1535 - 1540

Production dates

after 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. 361] [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 103]

1535 - 1540

[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 30, no. 139]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 121.5 x 83 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 121.5 x 83 cm

  • [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. 361]

  • [Cat. Erfurt 1924, 30, no. 139]

  • Dimensions including frame: 142.8 x 105.3 x 7 cm

  • [cda 2012]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom centre on the board: winged serpent with closed wings, facing left

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia bottom centre on the board: winged serpent with closed wings, facing left

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the cradle:

remains of a paper label (no longer legible)

Reverse of the frame:

exhibition label: 'Cranach-Ausstellung 1937'

[Angermuseum, revised …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the cradle:

  • remains of a paper label (no longer legible)

  • Reverse of the frame:

  • exhibition label: 'Cranach-Ausstellung 1937'

  • [Angermuseum, revised 2012]

Owner
Angermuseum, Erfurt
Repository
Angermuseum, Erfurt
Location
Erfurt
CDA ID
DE_AME_3468
FR (1978) Nr.
FR361
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_AME_3468/

Provenance

  • in the collection of Harro Magnusson, Bremen (1860 taken from a farm house in Leck, Schleswig-Holstein)
  • 16 April 1912 Sale Montoya, Berlin, no. 148
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 361]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, no. 103
Weimar, Wittenberg 1953, no. 49
Weimar 1972, Pl. 60

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 361
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B Plate 60
EditorSchlossmuseum Weimar
TitleLucas Cranach 1472-1553. Ein großer Maler in bewegter Zeit
Place of PublicationWeimar
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953 No. 49
AuthorWalther Scheidig
EditorDeutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
TitleLucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of PublicationWeimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 38 103 Pl. 83
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 290
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
Cat. Erfurt 1924 30 139
Authorn. a.
TitleKatalog des Städtischen Museums zu Erfurt. Mittelalterliche Sammlung. Gemäldegalerie
Place of PublicationErfurt
Year of Publication1924
Show Literature
Redslob 1913 632
AuthorEdwin Redslob
TitleNeuerwerbungen des Museums zu Erfurt
JournalDer Cicerone
Issue1
Year of Publication1913
Pages631-645
Show Literature
Pauli 1909
AuthorGustav Pauli
TitleDie Hl. Nacht von L. Cranach d. Ä. im Besitz der Familie Magnussen
JournalJahrbuch der bremischen Sammlungen
Issue2
Year of Publication1909
Pages130-132
Show Literature
Waldmann 1909 B
AuthorEmil Waldmann
TitleDie Leih-Ausstellung aus bremischem Privatbesitz
JournalCicerone
Issue1
Year of Publication1909
Pages324-327
Show Literature
  • The Holy Night, after 1537

Images

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Technical studies

04. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk; possibly some copied lines in a fluid, black medium

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

- roughly binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe essential details and facial features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder or the Younger?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

2012Technical Examination

Support

- cradled; the panel was probably thinned before the cradle was attached (open woodworm channels visible)

- on the basis of the warp it can be assumed that the panel consists of a number of vertically aligned planks; the joins are hidden by the cradle

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]

Underdrawing

- underdrawing is occasionally visible under the flesh paint

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]

Framing

- new frame

[Angermuseum, revised 2012]

Condition Reports

Date2012

  • no visible losses

  • numerous retouches

  • in places extensive overpaint

  • differing degrees of craquelée

[Angermusem, revised 2012]

Date2012

  • thinned and cradled

[cda 2012]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Holy Night', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_AME_3468/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Holy Night', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_AME_3468/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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