Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel]

Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel]

Titles

Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel]

[Flechsig 1900 B, 16]

Altarpiece of St Kunigunde [upper panel]

[Böhlitz 2005, 33]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Böhlitz 2005, 33]

lime wood

[Flechsig 1900 B, 17]

Christ as the Man of Sorrows is depicted as a half-length figure in an open sarcophagus, which is framed by a nimbus of angels. A priest (left) and a layman (right) kneel either side of the sarcophagus

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Master of the Döbeln Altarpiece

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Böhlitz 2005, 33]
[Ludolphy 1984, 17]
'zum größten Teil nur trockene Schülerarbeit' [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 83]
'nicht sämtliche Bilder mit eigener Hand' [Flechsig 1900 B, 17]

Master of the Döbeln Altarpiece

[Sandner 1993, 101, 106, 138]

Hans von Kulmbach

[Steche 1889, 132]

Production dates
1518
1517

Production dates

1518

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 83, No. 64C]

1517

[Böhlitz 2005, 33]

Dimensions
Dimensions including frame: 91 (to the crest of the semi-circle) x 182 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions including frame: 91 (to the crest of the semi-circle) x 182 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 164 (including the upper cross beam and pointed arch) x 182 cm

  • [Böhlitz 1999, 116]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels
  • on the pointed arch of the frame:
    carved "FK" (it stands for "Fraternitas Kalendarum" = Fraternity of Kaland)

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

    • on the pointed arch of the frame:

  • carved "FK" (it stands for "Fraternitas Kalendarum" = Fraternity of Kaland)

Owner
Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Repository
St. Katharinen-Kirche, Zwickau
Location
Zwickau
CDA ID
DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001G
FR (1978) Nr.
FR064C
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001G/

Overall view of the piece
Connected Works

Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [central panel]
  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [central panel], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001A
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [left wing]
  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [left wing], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001B
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [right wing]
  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [right wing], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001C
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [left fixed wing]
  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [left fixed wing], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001D
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [right fixed wing]
  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [right fixed wing], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001E
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau
Altarpiece of St Cathrine's Church, Zwickau [predella]
  • Altarpiece of St Cathrine's Church, Zwickau [predella], 1518
  • DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001F
  • Painting
  • Ev.-Luth. Nicolai-Kirchgemeinde Zwickau

Provenance

  • 11th of December 1518 set up above the St Kunigunde altarpiece in the Marienkirche, Zwickau
  • 1530 relocated to the choir of the Franciscian convent (Barfüßer), Zwickau
  • since the 23rd of December 1534 it has functioned as the high-altarpiece in the Katharinenkirche, Zwickau

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Sandner 2021 76-77 Fig. 7-8
AuthorIngo Sandner
TitleDie Werkstattpraxis Lucas Cranach des Älteren
Publicationin Dagmar Täube, ed., Lucas Cranach der Ältere und Hans Kemmer. Meistermaler zwischen Renaissance und Reformation [Lübeck, St. Annen-Museum]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2021
Pages71-81
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2017 A 75
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleCranach? Fragen der Zuschreibung im Lichte kunsttechnologischer Untersuchungen
Publicationin Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7316/7870/1704/Heydenreich_2017_Cranach_Fragen_der_Zuschreibung.pdf
Pages72-81
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2017 B
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleDie Veränderungen des Zwickauer Cranach-Retabels im Entstehungsprozess. Ergebnisse strahlendiagnostischer Untersuchungen
Publicationin Thomas Pöpper, ed., Cranach in Zwickau. Das Retabel in der St. Katharinenkirche
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2017
Pages111-120
Show Literature
Pöpper 2017
EditorThomas Pöpper
TitleCranach in Zwickau. Das Retabel in der St. Katharinenkirche
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Pöpper 2015 299-302 Fig. 1
AuthorThomas Pöpper
TitleCranachs Bildgegenstände oder 'size matters'. Zur Evidenz von Stitze, Schleifkanne, Schenkkrug und Spinnstab
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages298-307
Show Literature
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 131, Fn. 9
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Show Literature
Großmann 2011
AuthorJan Großmann, Anke Großmann
TitleDer Cranach-Altar der Zwickauer Katharinenkirche. Ein Kunstwerk sucht Hilfe
Place of PublicationRadebeul
Year of Publication2011
Show Literature
Böhlitz 2005 26, 27, 31, 34-36 Pl. 10, 11
AuthorMichael Böhlitz
TitleAltargemälde von Lucas Cranach dem Älteren, Lucas Cranach dem Jüngeren und ihren Schülern im Chemnitzer Raum
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages18-43
Show Literature
Melzer 2005 57
AuthorReinhard Melzer
TitleCranach in Wörlitz. Das Gotische Haus als frühe Sammlungsstätte altdeutscher Malerei
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages44-58
Show Literature
Böhlitz 1999
AuthorMichael Böhlitz
TitleDer Hochaltar der Zwickauer Katharinenkirche [Thesis]
Place of Publication[Leipzig]
Year of Publication1999
Show Literature
Sandner 1993 101, 106, 138
AuthorIngo Sandner
TitleSpätgotische Tafelmalerei in Sachsen
Place of PublicationDresden, Basel
Year of Publication1993
Show Literature
Ludolphy 1984
AuthorIngetraut Ludolphy
TitleFriedrich der Weise, Kurfürst von Sachsen 1463-1525
Place of PublicationGöttingen
Year of Publication1984
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Flechsig 1900 B
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleTafelbilder Lucas Cranachs d. Ä. und seiner Werkstatt
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/flechsig1900tafeln
Show Literature
Steche 1889
AuthorRichard Steche
TitleBeschreibende Darstellung der älteren Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler des Königreichs Sachsen. Amtshauptmannschaft Zwickau
Volume12
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1889
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

Upper panel: 'In the chest of the figure visible today traces of an earlier now hidden version depicting a crucifixion are visible. Before the present motif with the two assistant figures was painted this was framed by clouds with angels' heads, which can be discerned in the chest area of the figure on the left.'

[Großmann 2011]

  • Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel], 1518

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr

Technical studies

04. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION [recto]

- the depicted version covers an abandoned version of the Trinity surrounded by a gloriole of angels

- an underdrawing of the new version (The Man of Sorrows) is not readily visible

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop

DESCRIPTION [abandoned version]

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

- the depiction was abandoned and overpainted

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001G/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Altarpiece of St Catherine's Church, Zwickau [upper panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KAZW_NONE-KAZW001G/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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