Christ as Man of Sorrows

Christ as Man of Sorrows

Title

Christ as Man of Sorrows

[cda 2010]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

The painting depicts Christ as a half-length Man of Sorrows seated against a dark background, looking out at the viewer. Blood streams down his body, his head is crowned with thorns, and he holds the instruments of his martyrdom – the scourge and fasces – in his hands.

[cda 2022]

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

Attributions

Circle of Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Restauro 2004] [Eble 2002]

Production date
about 1540

Production date

about 1540

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 73.5 × 46.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 73.5 × 46.5 cm

  • [Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, revised 2022]

  • Dimensions of support: 75 x 48 x 0.8 cm

  • [Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia upper right corner: serpent with dropped wings (genuine?)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia upper right corner: serpent with dropped wings (genuine?)

Inscriptions and Labels

none Reverse: - brand mark, below the centre: 'E (with crown) // Cap. XI // No. 406'
(1. Location: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • none

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse: - brand mark, below the centre: 'E (with crown) // Cap. XI // No. 406'

  • (1. Location: Ehrenburg; 2. Object type: painting; accession number)

    • three labels, top left: 'No. 108', centre: '23/8#, bttom left corner: 'Kap. XI 406 Ecce Homo v. Lucas Cranach'
    • two similar stamps and inscription in chalk
    • below the horizontal member, bottom right two identical stamps: 'Elemibehandlung durch Dr. Büttner'
  • Frame:

    • lower member: brand mark with the inscription: 'Privat-Eigenthum Ernst II., Herzog v. S. Coburg-Gotha'
    • beside this, stamp: 'Privat-Eigenthum' and the coat of arms of the duchy of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha
    • bottom right corner: inventory label: 'Schloß Ehrenburg Coburg M. 414'
  • [Eble 2002, 21-23, 35, 36]

Owner
Bayerische Verwaltung der Schlösser, Gärten und Seen
Repository
Schloss Ehrenburg
Location
Coburg
CDA ID
DE_BSV-SE_CoE-G0082
FR (1978) Nr.
FR381H
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BSV-SE_CoE-G0082/

Provenance

  • 1811 from Stift Gandersheim (Gandersheim Abbey)(?)
  • Picture gallery, Schloss Ehrenburg, entry in the catalogue: "Als ererbtes Priv.-eigentum des Herzogs nur am Stück bezeichnet".
  • 1919 Coburger Landesstiftung (foundation), Schloss Ehrenburg
  • Schloss Ehrenburg, on permanent loan from the Coburger Landesstiftung to the Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen (Coburg, Schloss Ehrenburg, Große Galerie, R.10)
    [Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 80 - 83 13
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Restauro 02-2004
Authorn. a.
TitleKlimavitrine
JournalRestauro
Issue02
Year of Publication2004
Eble 2002
AuthorBarbara Eble
TitleTechnologische Untersuchung des elemibehandelten Gemäldes "Schmerzenmann" aus der Werkstatt Lucas Cranach d. Ä. Überlegungen zur Präsentation in einer Klimavitrine [ Diplomarbeit, FH Köln]
Year of Publication2002
Brunner, Seelig 1990
AuthorLorenz Seelig, Herbert Brunner
TitleCoburg, Schloß Ehrenburg
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1990
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 381H
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 86 307g
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
Voss 1906 238 005
AuthorGeorg Voss
TitleHerzogthum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. Landrathsamt Coburg. Die Stadt Coburg. Landorte des Amtsgerichtsbezirks Coburg
SeriesBau- und Kunstdenkmäler Thüringens
VolumeBd. XXXII
Place of PublicationJena
Year of Publication1906
  • Christ as Man of Sorrows, about 1540

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Technical studies

2018Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared Reflectography

Support

- limewood

- three vertically aligned boards with butt joints

- joints reinforced with recycled parchment

Underdrawing

- sketchy underdrawing visible in the infrared reflectogram

Paint Layers and Gilding

- mixed media

Framing

after 1844, with stencilled Neorenaissance pattern

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

11. 2001 - 03. 2002Scientific analysis

  • Probenentnahme / Querschliff(e)

Sample location: 26.4 cm below the upper edge from an area where the background was painted around the Man of Sorrows

Examined under a magnification of 1000x in both incident and UV light

Histochemical (staining) tests for both protein and oil: Ponceau red S for protein and Sudan black B for oil

Scanning electron microscopy (200x)

A summary evaluation of the results can be found under: Technical examination. For more detail see [Eble 2002, 23f.].

11. 2001 - 03. 2002Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Micro-sampling / cross-sections
  • Infrared reflectography
  • X-radiography
  • UV-light photography
  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species
  • Stereomicroscopy
  • Instrumental material analysis

Support

- limewood panel consisting of three vertically aligned boards with butt joints (from the left: 20.3/20.9 cm; 14.4/14.1 cm; 12.9/11.2 cm), dimensions: 75 x 48 cm, c. 0,8 cm thick [1]

- the right-hand board is tangentially cut and exhibits two knots; the other two are radial cut boards

- planed on the reverse

- the joints are reinforced with strips of parchment on the front (in places text is visible in the x-radiograph)

- on the reverse of the panel rhombus-shaped incisions along the joints indicate the applicatioinof some form of reinforcement

- chamfered on all four sides, reducing the panel thickness to 0.7 cm at the edge (bevel at the top and bottom: 2.8 cm; right and left: 0.8 cm)

[1] identification of wood species, 17.12.2001, H. Piening, Department for the Conservation of Paintings, Nymphenburg Palace [Eble 2002, 113]

Ground and Imprimatura

- size layer (contains some dirt, charcoal particles); histochemical (staining) test for protein

- ground application in two thin layers: 1. white and opaque in visible light.; yellowish green and crystalline in UV light; twice as thick as the second layer; 2. more transparent, strong yellow fluoresence in UV light; staining tests showed the evidence of protein in both layers; the SEM identified calcium carbonate as the fill material; the ground extends to the edge at the top and bottom of the panel (the original edges are no longer present at the left and right sides)

- imprimatura: very thin, pale yellow, semi-opaque layer

Underdrawing

- ecomomic, linear underdrawing executed with a brush with schematic indication of details like eyes, mouth etc.; washes indicated areas of light and shadow; used for the final painted version

Paint Layers and Gilding

Paint layers: very thin, smooth and not applied in discrete layers, but rather a rationalised use of glazes. The fact that he edges were left unpainted suggests the panel was fitted in its frame during the painting process. Staining tests confirmed the presence of oil; the SEM detected calcium and lead.

The artist began by laying in the flesh paint, wet-in-wet, in part dabbed on, in part brushed and spread with the hand; grey paint was dabbed on in the area of the stomach; application method also viible in the x-radiograph. The lead white highlights were applied witha broad brush; the grey and brown glazes contain very coarse ground pigments, the detail in the head was executed with a very fine brush, a dark brown glaze was used as the base tone for the hair, single strands were applied with a fine brush in various brown tones. The pigments employed for thein the background are very coarse and were therefore not very carefully ground.

Coatingsthe original coating or varnish is still evident in the ofrm of small islands

Framing

Profile frame, presumably second half of the 19th century; softwood consisting of five separate mouldings

- three smaller decorative mouldings have been glued onto the base profile; moulding decorated with leaves (embossing filler) was attached between the two mouldings on the inside; the outer mouldings were gilded with imitation gold leaf and the patterns were stencilled with bronze in glue.

[Eble 2002, 15-21, 23-34]

Condition Reports

Date2018

  • reworked in five phases and extensively overpainted

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

Date11. 2001 - 03. 2002

Support:

  • convex warp; both joints are to a greater extent open; four splits in the boards

  • in numerous places the parchment covering the joints is no longer attached to the support

  • at the bottom left the edge of the panel is damaged

  • both the left and right sides trimmed slightly; worm channels visible; exit holes also visible on the reverse, particularly in the bottom, left quarter and around the left joint

Paint layers:

  • raised ground and paint layers, particularly in the areas covered with parchment; tenting of paint layers; the adhesion of the ground to the parchment may not be adequate

  • in the areas with parchment overpaint covers the fills; the joints were also extensively and repeatedly overpainted; this has discoloured; retouched in the flesh paint where abraded or the edges of the craquele are damaged

  • at least four later varnish layers can be identified; the last application (with a brush) was an AW 2 synthetic varnish, now yellowed and dirty; various natural resins are represented in the other layers including dammar, mastic and colophonium

[Eble 2002, 34, 46-51]

Conservation History

Date2002 - 2003

  • conservation treatment Inga Pelludat, Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung, Munich

[Cat. Coburg 2018, no. 13, 80-83]

  • discoloured old retouches were reintegrated using a pointillist technique

  • a micro climate box was designed specifically for displaying the panel

[Restauro 2004]

  • conservation treatment by Inga Pelludat

Date2002

Polyamide film was attached to the reverse of the panel as a provisional measure until the panel could undergo more comprehensive treatment.

[Eble 2002, 89]

Date1900

  • about 1900 treated with elemi oil

(stamp on the reverse of the panel: 'Bezeichnung No. 21/90, Restaurator Dr. Büttner-Pfänner zu Thal')

[Eble 2002, 1, 66-69]

  • restauriert von Büttner-Pfänner zu Thal

Date1811 - 1833

According to [Brunner und Seelig 1990] in 1811 the court painter Johann Heinrich Krüppel was assigned the job of „auszubessern und zu restaurieren“ (repairing and restoring) the damaged works. They confirm that by 1833 he had restored 177 works.

[Eble 2002, 58]

Examination of the panel showed evidence for following treatments:

  • a dovetail was inserted in the lower section on the reverse of the panel to reinforce the joint between the right and left boards; after it fell out it was replaced by a small batten, that was glued onto the reverse and fixed with two hand-forged nails

  • a piece of corrugated iron was inserted into the bottom edge between the right and central boards

  • two horizontal sliding bars were inserted into the reverse of the panel

  • the joints were reinforced with glue, the right-hand one with animal glue and other with PVA glue.

Five stages of overpainting:

  1. vanish removal, overpaint (not very soluble) and fills (white and porous) for the most part in the areas with parchment

  2. fills (double layer: grey on reddish-brown, oil bound) where the parchment covers the joints.

  3. partial cleaning; fills (white, aqueous material); extensively overpainted

  4. small retouches, recent application of a coating of AW2 synthetic resin varnish(1960/70s?)

  5. retouching in the face

Frame:

  • original frame: grooved frame

  • this was replaced by a second grooved frame and the panel was trimmed on both the right and left sides

  1. rebate frame

  2. two stamps confirm that the panel was fitted with the present frame at the end of the 19th century.

[Eble 2002, 59-66]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ as Man of Sorrows', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BSV-SE_CoE-G0082/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ as Man of Sorrows', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BSV-SE_CoE-G0082/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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