Winged altarpiece shaped like a heart (Colditzer Altar): The Nativity [left wing, recto]

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry medium, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing; fine, thin, and precise lines

Function:

- rough indication for the final painted version, more precise and binding for the heads; lines delineate shapes, forms and spaces; no apparent representation of volume

Deviations:

- numerous minor alterations and corrections made during the painted version to clearly define forms

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

- limewood (Tilia sp.)

- 4 boards

- width at the centre from the left: 18.8, 12.7, 16.5, 15.0 cm

- thinned to a thickness of 0.8 cm

- the knots were left in the wood

- original size

- a ground was applied and the panel was painted before it was framed

- the panel was removed from the frame and reframed numerous times while it was being painted

- lines were incised freehand along the burr at the edge of the ground and painted surface

- white imprimatura

- barely visible but probably executed with a brush

- the contours and main lines within the forms are indicate

- numerous deviations in the painted version

- the Christ child is wrapped in cloth, the bands of cloth are indicated with broad bands applied as a wash. There is a cushion at his feet

- the paint has been stippled to imitate wool or felt

- the fine hairs were executed with a feather

- the Virgin's halo is oil gilded

- numerous specks of gold around the halo

- the neckline of the Virgin's robe has been corrected

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

Support:

• the panel has been thinned to a thickness of 0.8 cm

• the panel has been split so that the interior and exterior painted surface are now separate panels

• the joins were later partially reglued

• the wood exhibits numerous splits

• there is a long split on the right

Reverse:

• cradled

• the wood exhibits splits, which were caused when it was sawn

• stained reddish-brown

Painted surface:

• the Virgin's blue robe, which appears greenish due to a yellowed varnish, was overpainted with a green glaze in a past restoration campaign, that has since been removed

• losses in the paint layers above the application of tow

• losses along the joins and the splits

• Whitish, very brittle varnish on all five panels obscures the brilliance of the paint (Water damage?)

• retouching in the flesh paint of the angels holding the banner

• numerous old, yellowed varnish layers

• due to its brittle nature the particularly thick glaze on the Virgin's robe, the donkey's back, the corners of the walls and the sky has caused a net of blisters to develop

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 167]