The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left]

The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left]

Title

The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left]

[CDA 2011]

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sp.)

Medium

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sp.)

[Klein, Report 2014]
[Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

St Martin is depicted as a full-length figure, standing in front of a landscape and turned to the right. He wears bishop's vestments and gives his coat to the beggar, who sits at his feet.

Reverse:

painted arabeske ornament

Attributions
Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop
Master of the Mass of St Gregory

Attributions

Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop

[Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

Master of the Mass of St Gregory

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. Sup. 7]

Hans Abel the Younger

together with Heinrich Vogtherr the Elder
[Cat. Aschaffenburg 1932][1]
[1][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. Sup. 7]

Heinrich Vogtherr

together with Hans Abel the Younger
[Cat. Aschaffenburg 1932][1]
[1][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. Sup. 7]

Simon Franck

[Tacke 1992, 33, 41-169]

Production dates
1526
about 1530

Production dates

1526

[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

1524

[Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007, No. 11, 263]

about 1530

[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 97 x 41.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 97 x 41.5 cm

  • [Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]

  • [Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

Signature / Dating

None

Owner
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
Repository
Staatsgalerie im Schloss Johannisburg, Aschaffenburg
Location
Aschaffenburg
CDA ID
DE_BStGS_6264
FR (1978) Nr.
FRSup007
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS_6264/

Provenance

  • until 1541 in the Collegial Church, Halle
  • from the Collegial Church, Aschaffenburg

[Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, 141, No. 6264]

Exhibitions

Munich 2011, No. 23

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Schawe 2021 Fig. 6
AuthorMartin Schawe
TitleDas Holz der Bilder. Zum Pfirtschen Altar aus dem Neuen Stift Halle.
Publicationin Dagmar Täube, ed., Lucas Cranach der Ältere und Hans Kemmer. Meistermaler zwischen Renaissance und Reformation [Lübeck, St. Annen-Museum]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2021
Pages145-157
Cat. Coburg 2018 36, 142 under no. 2
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
Heydenreich 2017 A 77
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleCranach? Fragen der Zuschreibung im Lichte kunsttechnologischer Untersuchungen
Publicationin Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7316/7870/1704/Heydenreich_2017_Cranach_Fragen_der_Zuschreibung.pdf
Pages72-81
Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011 112-117, 141 Nos. 23, 6264 Fig. p. 113
AuthorMartin Schawe
EditorBayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
TitleCranach in Bayern
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2011
Exhib. Cat. Aschaffenburg 2007 263-264 No. 11e Fig. p. 266
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
Schawe 2007 A 215, 221 Fig. 1
AuthorMartin Schawe
TitleCranach in Aschaffenburg. 1814 bis heute
Publicationin Gerhard Ermischer, Andreas Tacke, ed., Cranach im Exil- Aschafffenburg um 1540. Zuflucht, Schatzkammer, Residenz
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2007
Pages215-225
Emmendörffer 1998 218
AuthorChristoph Emmendörffer
TitleDie selbständigen Cranachschüler
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Pages203-228
Tacke 1992 33, 41-169
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleDer katholische Cranach. Zu zwei Großaufträgen von Lucas Cranach d. Ä., Simon Franck und der Cranach-Werkstatt (1520 - 1540)
SeriesBerliner Schriften zur Kunst
Volume2
Place of PublicationMainz
Year of Publication1992
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 161 No. Sup7 Fig. Sup7
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979

Research History / Discussion

'Peter Klein identified a further 15 paintings on panels that came from the same tree as that of the 'St Martin' (6262) [6264] displayed here. without exception the panels are all signed: among others the 'Portrait of Albrecht of Brandenburg as St Jerome' from 1527 (Berlin, Gemäldegalerie), the depiction of 'Apollo and Diana' (ebenda) and 'The Judgement of Paris' in Karlsruhe (Kunsthalle), both dated 1530, the undated 'Family of Wild People' (formerly Donaueschingen; today Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie), numerous portraits of Luther from the year 1529 (Bremen, Roseliushaus; Darmstadt, Hessisches Landesmuseum) as well as 'Venus in a Landscape' from the Louvre in Paris. The majority of these paintings were created between 1527 and 1530 and thus support the later dating of the Pfirtsch Altarpiece wing panels.'

[Exhib. Cat. Munich 2011, No. 24, 115]

  • The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left], 1526

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • analysis
  • analysis

Technical studies

2013 - 2019Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Plank I: 77 annual rings, 1521-1445; plank II: 121 annual rings, 1522-1402; plank III: 61 annual rings, 1524-1464; plank IV: 129 annual rings, 1523-1395; plank V: 87 annual rings, 1506-1420

- the youngest annual ring is from 1524; following a two year seasoning period the earliest date for the painting is 1526

[Klein report, 11.08.2019

  • analysed by Peter Klein

06. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

17.06.2010Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species
  • analysis
  • analysis

Support

- 5 planks (plank II and IV from the same tree as 15 others, see list)

- youngest annual ring: 1524, the earliest date the painting could have been produced (including a two year seasoning period) is 1526

[Martin Schawe, Alte Pinakothek Munich, 01.04.2011]

- DE_SKK_0109_FR255

- DE_SMG_SG17_FR312-313D

- DE_smbGG_589_FR184

- US_IMA_2000-344_FR218

- DE_smbGG_564_FR271

- FIN_FNG_S-1994-224_FR-none

- DE_KSW_G6_FR311A

- DE_KBSB_B59_FR312-313C

- DE_HLMD_GK73a

- DE_KBSB_B60

- DE_SWK_6545

- US_PMA_739

- F_MdLP_1180

- Martin Luther, Privat

- Martin Luther, Oldenburg 52

  • examined by Peter Klein

06. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, dark medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand schematic underdrawing (where visible)

- thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines (presumably) delineate contours and indicate the essential features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- almost no alterations made during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder or workshop of Simon Franck?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich revised 2014]

  • photographed by BStGS Doerner Institut

Condition Reports

Date01.04.2011

Support:

  • top right corner reconstructed
  • written by Martin Schawe

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS_6264/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Pfirtsch Altar: St Martin [fixed wing panel, left]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS_6264/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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