Philipp Melanchthon

Philipp Melanchthon

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

'Half-length portrait of a seated scholar facing left against a neutral, greenish-grey background. In the bottom third of the painting there is a text block with [...] verses, top left a coat-of-arms.'

[G. Walczak, Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Attribution
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Dating
about 1500 - 1599
1534

Dating

about 1500 - 1599

"16. Jahrhundert"
[Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

1534

Date '1534' most likely not authentic [Cat. Hamburg 2007, No. 118]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 23.5 x 14.4 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 23.5 x 14.4 cm

  • Dimensions without text block: 18.3 x 14.4 cm

  • [Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Signature / Dating

'Bottom right signed with an erroneous artist's insignia in the form of a serpent with elevated wings and dated 1534.'

Signature / Dating

  • 'Bottom right signed with an erroneous artist's insignia in the form of a serpent with elevated wings and dated 1534.'

  • [G. Walczak, Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Inscriptions

Recto bottom: 'CONATVR PARV[V]S ARTES ORNARE || MELA[NCH]T[H]ON || NON TAMEN ID MERITVM || DVXERIS || …

Inscriptions

Inscriptions:

  • Recto bottom:

  • 'CONATVR PARV[V]S ARTES ORNARE || MELA[NCH]T[H]ON || NON TAMEN ID MERITVM || DVXERIS || ESSE LEVE.'

  • [Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Labels

Reverse of the panel: paper stuck over it, on which a free translation of the Latin verse has been …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: paper stuck over it, on which a free translation of the Latin verse has been transcribed in black ink:

  • 'Ernst bemüht ist Melanchthon

  • die Wissenschaft zu fördern;

  • Mögest Du nie mehr gering achten

  • solches Verdienst!'

  • [Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Owner
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Repository
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Location
Hamburg
CDA ID
DE_HKH_HK-118
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HKH_HK-118/

Provenance

- acquired in 1923 as part of an exchange deal with the Galerie Commeter, Hamburg
[Cat. Hamburg 2007 A, no. 118]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Hamburg 2007 A 118
AuthorMartina Sitt, Gerrit Walczak
TitleDie Sammlungen der Hamburger Kunsthalle. Die deutschen, englischen, französischen, italienischen und spanischen Gemälde 1350-1800
Place of PublicationHamburg
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
  • Philipp Melanchthon, about 1500 - 1599

Images

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  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr

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License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Technical studies

08. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk; in combination with a fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing; copied lines in the face (executed with a brush over traced lines?)

- thin lines; delicate, fine lines (in the face)

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the facial features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- probably transferred from a pre-existing design

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1997Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

X-radiography

[Cat. Hamburg 2007, No. 118]

Condition Reports

Date2007

- paint surface dirty; paint loss along the edges

[Cat. Hamburg 2007, No. 118]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HKH_HK-118/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HKH_HK-118/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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