Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd

Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd

Title

Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd

[cda 2019]

Painting on hardwood

Medium

Painting on hardwood

[Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 137]

The panel shows the members of the Drachstedt family kneeling before Christ, who is represented here as the good shepherd. The composition is clearly and symmetrically arranged with Christ occupying the central axis. Various elements in the painting are typical for the biblical shepherd motif, e. g. the hills and

The panel shows the members of the Drachstedt family kneeling before Christ, who is represented here as the good shepherd. The composition is clearly and symmetrically arranged with Christ occupying the central axis. Various elements in the painting are typical for the biblical shepherd motif, e. g. the hills and source, shown here as a river. The landscape is unusually expansive and bright. The plants depicted are spring flowers.

Kazmierczak in: [Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 137-146]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 137]

Production date
after 1573

Production date

after 1573

[Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 137]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 85.6 x 118.2 x 2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 85.6 x 118.2 x 2 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 105.3 x 175.5 x 18.8 cm

  • upper board: 6.7 x 175.5 x 18.8 cm; lower board: 5 x 163 x 11 cm;

  • clear dimensions: 83.2 x 115.5

  • [Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 137]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels

  • the panel was originally accompanied by the followinf inscription: DIC[atum] MEM[oriae] S[anctae]
    MARGARITAE MAIORINAE, DRACHSTADIAE FAEMINE …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • the panel was originally accompanied by the followinf inscription:

  • DIC[atum] MEM[oriae] S[anctae]

  • MARGARITAE MAIORINAE, DRACHSTADIAE FAEMINE OPT[imae] QUAE

  • MATRONALI LAVDE ET VIRTVTE PRAESTANS IN CONIVGIO PIO

  • CVM MARITO FRIDERICO DRACHSTADIO, &c[etera]. VIXIT AN[nos]

  • XX. OCTONORVM LIBERORVM MATER, EX QVIBVS QVATERNOS

  • RELIQVIT SVPERSTITES, CVMQ[ue] VIXISSET ANNOS XL, MENSES

  • VII, D[ies] IX, H[oras] VI, IN FIDE SANCTA DIEM SVVM OBIIT ANNO

  • FEBR[uarii], CVI IN AREA AEDIS HVIVS SEPVLTAE MARITVS

  • FR[idericus] DRACHSTADIVS VXORI CARISS[imae] IN LVCTV ET

  • MAERORE HOC MON[umentum] POSVIT.

    • the following inscription may also have been used:

  • VENI DOMINE IESV CHRISTE, VENI ET NOLI TARDARE,

  • OVICVLAE CERTE TVAE SVMVS SANGVINE TVO REDEMPTAE.

  • DE TVIS HVMERIS NOS PENDENTES IN AETERNA GAVDIA

  • ECVM TRANSFERTO

  • [Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 138, 140]

Owner
Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Marien, Wittenberg
Repository
Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Marien, Wittenberg
Location
Wittenberg
CDA ID
DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW005
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW005/

Provenance

  • the epitaph was commissioned by the lawyer and consistory Friedrich Drachstedt (1529-1600) after the death of his wife Margarethe, nee Major, in 1573 from the workshop of Cranach the Younger; it was created to be displayed in the parish church in Wittenberg
  • in 1604 it was located on the sixth southern pillar
  • in 1883 it was lent to the Lutherhalle (until 1928)
  • in 1928 it was returned to the church
  • today it hangs on the north wall of the choir
    [Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 138]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015 137-148
EditorJan Harasimowicz, Bettina Seyderhelm
TitleCranachs Kirche. Begleitbuch zur Landesausstellung Sachsen-Anhalt Cranach der Jüngere 2015
Place of PublicationMarkkleeberg
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

Margarethe Drachstedt was the daughter of Georg Major (1502-1574), a reformer and university professor in Wittenberg, who assisted Luther to translate the bible. She married Friedrich Drachstedt in 1553 and gave birth to eight children – five sons and three daughters -, before she died on the 30 January in 1573 aged 40. Her eldest daughter, also called Margarethe, married Johannes Bugenhagen the Younger (1527-1594) in 1583. The head of the family Friedrich Drachstedt was an important representative of the Wittenberg society and was blessed with longevity. He studied Law in Wittenberg and later worked as a notary for 48 years at the court, and was also active as a consistory. After Margarethe’s death he married Maria, nee Stettner (1604) on the 16 September 1573. He died on the 8 May 1600.

[Kazmierczak in: Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 138]

  • Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd, after 1573

Images

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Technical studies

2015Technical Examination

Framing

The frame, which has survived without its finial and lower element, had a simple architectural structure: fluted and voluted consoles with ionic capitals support a beam decorated with cymatium molding. Beneath the consoles single carved diamond-like shapes create a simple strapwork. Today the frame exhibits a simple ledge at the bottom. The dominant colour is white with various elements picked out in blue, gold, green or violet.

Kazmierczak in: [Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 138]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW005/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Epitaph for Margarethe Drachstedt, nee Major, and her family: The Good Shepherd', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW005/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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