Epitaph for Veit Oertel the Elder and his Family: The Conversion of Saul

Title

[cda 2019]

Painting on hardwood (plywood board attached to the reverse)

Medium

Painting on hardwood (plywood board attached to the reverse)

[Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]

The surviving painting has a rounded top and depicts the events of the biblical story of Saul's conversion as reported in the Acts of the Apostles on two planes. A third plane of reality with representations of members of the Oertel family was inserted in the foreground. [...] The upper half of the image shows Saul surrounded by men in armour on horseback in a mountainous landscape. Above this scene Christ is visible in the clouds at the centre of a bright light. A flash of light is directed towards the stumbling Saul. Dazzled by the appearance he lets go of the horse's reins, raises his hands and is caught before falling by one of his companions. [...] Below the dazzled figure of Saul can be seen again, being lead away by his companions. His arms are limp, his stance reflective. The Oertel family is represented at the bottom edge of the painting. According to [Mentz 1604] the members are as follows: (seen from the right of Paul) Veit Winsheim (Oertel) the Elder with his sons and grandsons as well as (on the left) the wife of the Elder and both wives of the Younger Oertel. [...] All three women have their mouths covered with mourning bands.

[Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 166-168]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop
Augustin Cranach

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop	completed by Augustin Cranach? [Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]
Augustin Cranach	Lucas Cranach the Younger and workshop - completed by Augustin Cranach? [Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]

Production date: 1586

Production date

1586	in the inscription [Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 165.5 x 130 cm (1.2 cm thick plywood board on the reverse)

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 165.5 x 130 cm (1.2 cm thick plywood board on the reverse)
Dimensions including frame: 177.3 x 143.3 x 5.2 cm
Clear dimensions: 161.6 x 127.3 cm
[Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]

Signature / Dating: none

Inscriptions and Labels

the inscriptions were lost, but were published numerous times in the 17th century (the text was on a panel …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

- the inscriptions were lost, but were published numerous times in the 17th century (the text was on a panel beneath the painting):
VITI WINSHEMIJ. M. D. MEMORIAE.
CLARISSIMI VIRI DOMI[ni] . VITI ORTELII VVINSHEMII MEDICINAE
DOCTORIS AC PROFESSORIS, PATRIS OPTIMI, AC DUARUM
CONIUGUM SUARUM, NOBILISS[imae] AC HONESTISS[imae]
EUPHROSINES PONTANAE ET ANNAE STYMPHELIA: FILII ITEM UNIUS,
DUARUMQUE FILIARUM, VITUS VVINSHEMIUS DOCTOR,
IURISCONSULTIS, FILIUS, CONIUNX ET PATER, OB SPEM
RESURRECTIONIS IPSORUM, AC LEUAMEN DESIDERII SUI,
HOC MONUMENTUM POSUIT ANNO A NATO CHRISTO 1586.
CAL[endis] IUNII.
EXPRIMIT HAEC VITUM PATREM NATUMQ[ue] TABELLA
ET PATRE PONTANO STYMPHELIOQ[ue] SATUM.
QUARUM QUAE PRIOR EST LECTO CONIUNCTA PUDICO.
ANTE DIEM SINE SPE PROLIS ADEMPTA FUIT.
QUAE FATO IN VACUUM SUCCESSERAT ANNA CUBILE,
AUXIT VITE TUUM SORTE FERACE GENUS.
SEX NATI SUPERANT CHRISTOQ[ue] TEGENTE SUPERSINT,
ET PATRIAS ARTES OFFICIUMQ[ue] COLANT.
PARCA DUAS NATAS, ET NATUM SUSTULIT UNUM,
FILA QUIBUS VITAE NON DIUTURNA DEDIT.
EXTINCTAE MATRIS CURAM LEUAT ANNA PARENTI,
NAM MATREM IN NATAE MORIBUS ESSE VIDET.
NOMEN VVINSHEMIIS PATRUM VIRTUTE PARATUM
ET PARTU MATRIS, NESCIT IN ORBE MORI.
- above the painting the following quotatioin from psalm 90:
NOSSE DEUM ET BENE POSSE MORI SAPIENTIA SUMMA EST
[Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163]

Owner: Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Marien, Wittenberg
Repository: Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Marien, Wittenberg
Location: Wittenberg

CDA ID: DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW010
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_ESKStMW_NONE-ESKStMW010/

Provenance

The panel was once part of a larger monument that was originally located on the first south pillar of the choir.

in 1604 it was located between a now lost inscription panel (below) and another painting, showing a nude figure of the infant Christ surrounded by a cloud with angels (top) [However by this time the original state had probably already been altered]
in 1825 the central panel was still in the choir [...] behind the altar
in 1917 it was recorded in the sacristy [...] where it remained until 1928
in 1979 it was recorded in the inventory on the north wall of the choir
[Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015, 163, 165, 166]

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Harasimowicz, Seyderhelm 2015

163-172

Editor	Jan Harasimowicz, Bettina Seyderhelm
Title	Cranachs Kirche. Begleitbuch zur Landesausstellung Sachsen-Anhalt Cranach der Jüngere 2015
Place of Publication	Markkleeberg
Year of Publication	2015

Show Literature

Wegmann 2015

88-93

Fig. 2

Author	Susanne Wegmann
Title	Sein letztes Werk. Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die 'Bekehrung Pauli'
Publication	in Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2015
Pages	84-93

Show Literature

Epitaph for Veit Oertel the Elder and his Family: The Conversion of Saul, 1586

Images

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

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