Portrait of Katharina of Bora

Portrait of Katharina of Bora

Title

Portrait of Katharina of Bora

[cda 2019]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

A half-length portrait of Katharina von Bora, facing left against a dark brown background and look directly at the viewer. She is wearing a black dress over an undergarment decorated with a border. Her white bonnet is also decorated with black ornamentation, and she has a cream coloured scarf wrapped

A half-length portrait of Katharina von Bora, facing left against a dark brown background and look directly at the viewer. She is wearing a black dress over an undergarment decorated with a border. Her white bonnet is also decorated with black ornamentation, and she has a cream coloured scarf wrapped around her neck and forehead.

[see: Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, No. 12]

Attributions
Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder

or copy [Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

or copy [Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

Production date
1528 - 1700

Production date

1528 - 1700

[dated, later addition?]
[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 38.5 x 28.7 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 38.5 x 28.7 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 50.4 x 40.6 cm

  • [Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the left edge: serpent with elevated wings and dated '1528' (probably not genuine)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the left edge: serpent with elevated wings and dated '1528' (probably not genuine)

Inscriptions and Labels

on the reverse: - centre, top: old label: 'Cath. de Bora / Lutheri conjux / picta eod. anno / …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • on the reverse: - centre, top: old label: 'Cath. de Bora / Lutheri conjux / picta eod. anno / ubi monasterio / libertata.'

    • centre, bottom: old label: 'Magdalena / Lutheri filia / picta per Lucam Cranach / anno 1523.' and after this in brackets 'error'
    • top left: adhesive label with a stamp: 'Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel' and inventory no.: 'B93'
    • centre, top: collector's seal

  • [Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

Owner
Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel
Repository
Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel
Location
Wolfenbüttel
CDA ID
DE_HABW_B93
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HABW_B93/

Provenance

  • unknown
  • it has the same collector's seal and frame as the portrait series cat. nos. 20-23, therefore it is assumed that the provenance is the same
  • 1823 first recorded in the library, Wolfenbüttel
    [Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, No. 12]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012 78-84 No. 12 Figs. 12-12.3
AuthorMichael Wenzel
TitleDie Gemälde der Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel
Place of PublicationWiesbaden
Year of Publication2012
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

A signature and date were uncovered during conservation treatment in 1950. However due to the rather stiff execution of the Wolfenbüttel painting the attribution to a copyist after Lucas Cranach was not changed. Furthermore the portrait appears to have the same provenance as a portrait series of reformers created in the 17th century. It has also been observed that on other surviving pendant pieces from Cranach's workshop the signature is usually found only on the Luther portrait. It is possible that the signature was added later after the painting was separated from its companion piece.

[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, no. 12]

  • Portrait of Katharina of Bora, 1528 - 1700

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse

Technical studies

Support

- the suport consists of two planks

- the panel is chamfered at the sides

- battens were added to the left and right sides

Framing

- broad battens, light brown bare wood off-set with dark brown, gilded and red moulding

[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, No. 12]

Condition Reports

  • fine, uniform craquelé

  • vertical splits along the joint

  • retouched scratches

  • spots of dirt

  • small losses and retouches

[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, No. 12]

Conservation History

Date1950 -

'1950 conservation treatment by Fritz Herzig, during which a signature and date were uncovered'

[Cat. Wolfenbüttel 2012, 78-84, No. 12]

  • conservation treatment by Herzig

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Katharina of Bora', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HABW_B93/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Katharina of Bora', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HABW_B93/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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