Martin Luther as Junker Jörg

Title

[cda 2017]

Painting on hardwood

Medium

Painting on hardwood	[Heydenreich, cda 2017]
Painting on oak	[Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015, 104, no. 34]

Martin Luther as Junker Jörg against a brown background, facing right; he is wearing a black gown and his left hand rests on the pommel of a sword.

Attributions: Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Heydenreich, cda 2017]
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015, 104, no. 34]

Production date: after 1537

Production date

after 1537

[dated, not genuine]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 51 x 36 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 51 x 36 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015, 104, no. 34]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the left edge: serpent (with elevated wings?) and dated '1537' (not genuine)

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the left edge: serpent (with elevated wings?) and dated '1537' (not genuine)

Inscriptions and Labels: - at the top edge: 'DOCTOR MARTINVS LVTHER. PROPHETA. GERMANVS. ANNO. 1521. IN. PATHMO. AETATIS SUAE. 38. DEPINGEBATUR.' lower edge: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

- at the top edge:
'DOCTOR MARTINVS LVTHER. PROPHETA. GERMANVS. ANNO. 1521. IN. PATHMO. AETATIS SUAE. 38. DEPINGEBATUR.'
lower edge:
'PESTIS. ERAM. VIVENS. MORTVS. ERO. MORS. TVA. PAPA.'
(propably later additions)
[Steche 1890, 47]

Owner: Ev.-Luth. Kirchgemeinde, Penig
Repository: Kirche Unser Lieben Frauen Auf Dem Berge, Penig
Location: Penig

CDA ID: DE_ELKP_001
FR (1978) Nr.: FR149A
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ELKP_001/

Provenance

from the estate of Canon Dr. Burscher, Leipzig
1848 donated by C. Friedrich Aug. Roch to the church of 'Unser Lieber Frauen Auf Dem Berge'
1890 kept in the sacristy
[Steche 1890, 47]

Exhibitions

Eisenach 2015, no. 34

Research History / Discussion

[The portrait of Luther] shows all the merits and mannerisms of the master with its meticulous execution and appears to be at least a distinguished work by a pupil if not by Cranach himself […] – the bust-length portrait of Katharina Luther […] is executed with less care and artistic merit. It appears to be a companion piece painted later.

[Steche 1890, 47]

Although these portraits [Luther and Katharina] are ill-matched they belong together thus associating the representations of 'Junker Jörg' from 1522 with those of Katharina in the marriage portraits. Her portrait draws on later versions from 1529 […].

[Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015, 104, no. 34]

Connected Works

Martin Luther as Junker Jörg, after 1537

Images

Documents

DE_ELKP_001_FR149A_2016_Analysis-report-XRF.pdf

Technical studies

Support

- hardwood support

- fine marks from a toothed plane

- broad bevel along the edges

[Heydenreich, cda 2017]

Conservation History

Date2015

removal of varnish and extensive overpaint, particularly in the blue background

restauriert von Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Sachsen

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Martin Luther as Junker Jörg', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ELKP_001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Martin Luther as Junker Jörg', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ELKP_001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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