The Holy Trinity above a landscape and within a gloriole of angels

- hardwood, probably limewood

- tangential cut

- no knots

- the panel constists of two vertical planks (16 cm and 12.4 cm in width)

- traces of a partial application of tow are visible along the edge. These are located in the area of the join and at the right edge 2 cm from the bottom (photograph)

- a 5-8mm border of bare wood runs around the edge

- the format was not altered

- the panel was thinned with a plane to a thickness of 3mm during a previous intervention

- white ground, probably a glue/chalk mixture

- the ground layer is c. 0.8 mm thick

- there is a barbe

- on the left and right edges some ground material containing bubbles is located above the bare wood. This probably penetrated through the gap between the panel and the rebate of the frame when the ground was applied (photograph)

- an incised line runs around the panel parallel to the edge of the painting. The incised line is particularly visible along the right edge. The lines run almost along the edge of the painted surface.

- an imprimitura is not visible

- an underdrawing is not readily visible

- a brush application of paint, executed to a large extent in glazes. the paint also consists partially of admixtures and has been applied in an opaque layer. (the crown and brocade, the town and the leaves)

- the application is very thin. An impasto application was employed for the highlights (crown, coat, leaves).

- the details (e.g. hair, coat, faces of the angels, town) were applied with a very fine brush

- in both top corners there are spandrels painted with a uniform black layer

- the paint does not extend beyond the edge of the ground

- the frame is not original

- dimensions: 61.8 cm X 49.2 cm X 5.6 cm

- simple, slightly champfered wooden frame with a brown glazed oak verneer. There are half-rounded battens on the inner and outer edges.

- inserted battens, gilded

- the mitred joins have been reinforced with fabric from the reverse

[Julia Tholen, Paintings Conservator, Kunsthalle Bremen, June 2012]

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form; changes (e.g. the clouds in the sky were not carried out in the painted version)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

• when the panel was thinned a few open woodworm channels were revealed. There is no activity.

• The panel has a slightly corrugated appearance caused by the cradle. In addition there are two vertical splits, fostered in all probability by the ridgid cradle

• there are small losses above all along the splits and the join as well as on the edges of the craquelée; these have for the most part been filled and retouched

• there is a fine network of craquelée over the entire picture plane

• the paint layers are partially abraded

• the retouches and overpaint are to a greater extent discoloured and extend beyond the the areas of loss over the original paint

[Julia Tholen, Paintings Conservator, Kunsthalle Bremen, June 2012]

• during an intervention in 1951 the cradle, which was considered inadequate, was removed from the panel and replaced with a new one. To attach this cradle to the panel the reverse was first sanded down (open woodworm channels). The joins could not be exactly aligned when they were reglued.

Losses were filled, retouching in watercolour, mastix varnish and a wax coating

• 1990 the panel was again removed from its frame to be photographed. On this occasion the wax coating was removed with oil of terpentine, the rebate of the frame was cushioned with felt, the painting was refitted and a corrugated cardboard backing was attached to the reverse. (source: Bettina Landgrebe 2006).

• 2008 a micro-climate box was constructed for the painting to protect the delicate panel against fluctuating environmental conditions.

• consolidation of the paint layers with a 5% solution of sturgeon's glue was also carried out in 2008

[Julia Tholen, Paintings Conservator, Kunsthalle Bremen, June 2012]