Christ overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius)

Christ overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius)

Title

Christ overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius)

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/49]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/49]

Since the attribution by Koepplin (1974) the epitaph, which is signed at the bottom edge with the Cranach insignia, has been unanimously accepted as a work by Lucas Cranach the Younger. In the foreground of the left half of the image Christ is shown in front of shrubbery, holding the

Since the attribution by Koepplin (1974) the epitaph, which is signed at the bottom edge with the Cranach insignia, has been unanimously accepted as a work by Lucas Cranach the Younger. In the foreground of the left half of the image Christ is shown in front of shrubbery, holding the victory banner. He occupies the entire height of the panel and stands with both feet on the figures of Death and the Devil, lying on the stony, arid ground. He pierces the devil's neck with the rod of the banner. The devil is represented with green wings, a long tail and antlers on his head, grasping the end of the rod with both claws. However like the rearing of the skeleton depicting Death his resistance is unsuccessful. The risen Son of God has overcome and vanquished Death and the Devil.

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, No. 3/49] (Translation, cda 2016)

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/49]

Production date
1542

Production date

1542

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 78.5 x 58.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 78.5 x 58.5 cm

  • [Susanne Wegmann, in Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/49]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • at top right: 'MORTE TVA SAEVVM CALCASTI CHRISTE DRACONEM.
    VT NOS SERVARES VICTIMA FACTA DEVS.
    HOC MORIENS FIDO CELLARIVS …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • at top right:

  • 'MORTE TVA SAEVVM CALCASTI CHRISTE DRACONEM.

  • VT NOS SERVARES VICTIMA FACTA DEVS.

  • HOC MORIENS FIDO CELLARIVS ORE PROFESSVS

  • IN GREMIVM TRADIT SE; SOBOLEMQVE TVVM."

  • ANNO SALVTIS HVMANAE 1542°

  • DIE 21° APRILIS. AETATIS SVAE 46°'

  • [cda 2016]

Owner
Diözesanmuseum Freising
Repository
Diözesanmuseum Freising
Location
Freising
CDA ID
DE_DMF_D9331
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DMF_D9331/

Exhibitions

Nuremberg 1983, no. 475
Wittenberg 2015, no. 3/49

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 2015 394-395 3/49
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
Wartenberg 2007 240-243
AuthorGünther Wartenberg
TitleDie albertinische Kirchen- und Religionspolitik unter Moritz von Sachsen
Publicationin Karlheinz Blascke, ed., Moritz von Sachsen. Ein Fürst der Reformationszeit zwischen Territorium und Reich [Freiberg, 2003]
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication2007
Pages163-172
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 2005 A 11
EditorStiftung Frauenkirche
EditingBarbara Bechter
TitleDie Frauenkirche zu Dresden. Werden - Wirkung - Wiederaufbau, Dresden, Stadtmuseum
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Magirius 2002 66
AuthorHeinrich Magirius
TitleDie Kirche "Unserer Lieben Frau" in Dresden - der Vorgängerbau der Frauenkirche George Bährs
JournalDie Dresdener Frauenkirche. Jahrbuch zu ihrer Geschichte und zu ihrem archäólogischen Wiederaufbau
Issue8 (2002)
Year of Publication2002
Pages53-70
Show Literature
Cat. Freising 1994 6
EditorSylvia Hahn
TitleVon Cranach bis Jawlensky: Kunst und Religion im Wandel, 77 Neuerwerbungen aus fünf Jahrhunderten
SeriesDiözesanmuseum Freising. Katalog und Schriften
Volume15
Place of PublicationFreising
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Nuremberg 1983 475
EditorGerhard Bott
TitleMartin Luther und die Reformation in Deutschland. Ausstellung zum 500. Geburtstag Martin Luthers
Place of PublicationFrankfurt a. M.
Year of Publication1983
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 700-701
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 overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius), 1542

Images

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

Technical studies

10. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry, dark drawing material, stylus or dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- relatively economic and freehand underdrawing

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; the lines delineate the main contours, occasionally define forms therein and indicate facial features; very scant representation of volume with hatching strokes

Deviations:

- small corrections were made to forms during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger or workshop

[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 overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius)', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DMF_D9331/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ overcoming Death and Devil (epitaph for Johannes Cellarius)', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_DMF_D9331/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.