Portrait of Friedrich III. the Wise, Elector of Saxony

Portrait of Friedrich III. the Wise, Elector of Saxony

Painting on beech wood (probably)

Medium

Painting on beech wood (probably)

[Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

Lime wood

[Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Ca. Munich 2011, 135, No. WAF185]

Upright format, divided horizontally. In the top section is a half-length portrait of the aged Elector of Saxony, Friedrich III (1463-1525, Elector since 1586), also known as Friedrich the Wise. A printed eulogy has been attached to the panel in the lower section. On the top right there is a

Upright format, divided horizontally. In the top section is a half-length portrait of the aged Elector of Saxony, Friedrich III (1463-1525, Elector since 1586), also known as Friedrich the Wise. A printed eulogy has been attached to the panel in the lower section. On the top right there is a further inscription on paper: 'Friderich der Drit/ Chur-/ furst und Hertzog zu Sachssen'.

The signed portrait complies with the common basic pattern employed for the many portraits of Friedrich III produced by the Cranach workshop: the elector is depicted against a blue background, facing right, he wears a black beret and a fur trimmed coat over a white shirt; the grey tone of his hair and beard indicate the advanced years of the sitter.

The text below, which is written in verse acknowledges the particular merits of the regent: such prudent policies intended to avoid war, which brought him the nickname ¿the Wise` ; the founding in 1502 of the University of Wittenberg, where Luther lectured from 1508, which he sponsored from the early stages of the Reformation until his death (however more for political reasons than theological ones); the weakening of the papacy and the return of the 'correct' faith through the Reformation; the renunciation to become Maximilians II. successor and the significant influence he exercised with respect to the choice of Charles V.

[Karin Geiger, Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, 2011]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]

Dating
1532

Dating

1532

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 22 x 17 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 22 x 17 cm

  • [Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on the left edge: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1532'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on the left edge: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1532'; in black paint

  • [Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

Inscriptions

- in the top right corner: inscription printed on paper and attached to the panel with glue:
'Friderich der …

Inscriptions

Inscriptions:

  • - in the top right corner:

  • inscription printed on paper and attached to the panel with glue:

  • 'Friderich der Drit/ Chur-/ furst und Hertzog zu / Sachssen'

  • - on the lower half of the panel, in verse:

  • 'Fridrich bin ich billich genand. Schönen frid ich erhielt im land. Durch gros vernunfft/ gedult und glück Widder manchen ertzbösen tück. Das land ich zieret mit gebew Und Stifft ein hohe Schul auffs new. Zu Wittemberg im Sachssen land Inn der welt die ward bekand. Denn aus der selb kam Gottes wort Und thet gros ding an manchem ort. Das Bepstlich reich störtzt es nidder. Und bracht rechten glauben widder. Zum Keisar ward erkorn ich Des mein alter beschweret sich. Dafur ich Keisar Carl erwelt Von dem mich nicht wand gonst noch gelt.'

Labels

Reverse of the panel: - top left:
Label printed with a coat-of-arms: 'Nr. [printed], 210 [handwritten], 1827 …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - top left:

  • Label printed with a coat-of-arms: 'Nr. [printed], 210 [handwritten], 1827 [printed]'

  • - bottom right:

  • Printed label: 'Bayerische-Staats-Gemälde-Sammlungen Inv.-Nr.' and stamp; handwritten: 'W.A.F 184, Lucas Cranach, Friedrich der Weise von Sachsen'

  • [Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

Owner
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
Repository
Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg
Location
Regensburg
CDA ID
DE_BStGS-HMR_WAF184
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-HMR_WAF184/

Provenance

On loan from the Bayerischen Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Wittelsbacher Ausgleichsfond

- 1827 acquired from the Boisserée Collection

[Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

Exhibitions

Regensburg 1992
Munich 2011

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Frank 2018 14 Fig. 5
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. Florence 2017 76 under no. 7
EditorFrancesca de Luca, Giovanni Maria Fara
Title I volti della Riforma. Lutero e Cranach nelle collezioni medicee [Uffizi, Florence]
Place of PublicationFlorence, Milan
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011 58-59, 135 Nos. 4, WAF 184 Fig. p. 59
AuthorMartin Schawe
EditorBayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
TitleCranach in Bayern
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2011
Show Literature
  • Portrait of Friedrich III. the Wise, Elector of Saxony, 1532

Images

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  • reverse
  • irr
  • x_radiograph

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License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Technical studies

2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

- an underdrawing is not visible

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

2011Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • Stereomicroscopy
  • reverse

Support

Support:

- Hardwood panel, presumably beech wood (rays)

- both left hand corners at the top and bottom are rounded

- there is a notch in the centre of each of the horizontal edges: below square, above frayed. Depth: c. 3mm

Reverse:

- slightly bevelled

- traces of marks from a scraper

- brownish black coating except for a boarder of 1-2mm at the top and bottom, and 2-3 mm at the sides

Ground and Imprimatura

Ground:

- thin and light beige, very smooth; extends to the edge of the panel

Incised lines:

- continuous incised lines parallel to the edge of the panel along the top and right indicate the area to be painted. These guidelines

were followed to a greater extent, on the left the line was painted over and the demarcation line along the bottom is 76/77 mm from the

bottom edge

Imprint:

- at the centre of each edge, beyond the incised lines, there is an imprint from a circular bracket, which was employed during the

application of the ground and the painting process. The ground is either lacking or only partially present here (diameter: 8-10 mm)

Underdrawing

- the underdrawing is not clearly visible, and may have been executed with a pen

Paint Layers and Gilding

Paint layers:

- mixed media

- the sequence of the paint layers commenced with the monochrome blue background: thin and fluid application, which adheres to a

greater extent to the demarcations. Reconstructed sequence of application: monochrome initial layer (blue background, brown

underpaint for the fur, beige for the face); above this modulating glazes for the flesh paint , black contours and finally a black band on

the printed paper.

Printed application:

- applied over the inital layer of paint below the contour lines, that is to say during the painting process

- bottom: 7.6 x 14.2 cm, handmade paper, two pieces (left, printed width: 12.1 cm; right without text, width: 2.3 cm), it overlaps the

incised lines

- in black capitals 16 lines of verse

- top right: another collage of handmade paper, 20 x 48 mm, printed in black

'Friderich der Drit / Chur=

furst vnd Hertzog zu /

Sachssen.'

Varnish:

- thin, glossy, stripy application

- it also covers the paper applications

[Annette Kurella, Historisches Museum der Stadt Regensburg, revised 2011]

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph

LFNR: 75; Röntgen

Condition Reports

Date2011

Support

- on the top edge in the centre 2 small holes (filled and retouched from the painted side, indication of an old fastening device or cord); on the reverse the black coating covers the fill material

  • written by Annette Kurella

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Friedrich III. the Wise, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-HMR_WAF184/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Friedrich III. the Wise, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-HMR_WAF184/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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