Martin Luther on his Death-bed

Martin Luther on his Death-bed

Title

Martin Luther on his Death-bed

[cda 2015]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[http://service.uni-leipzig.de/eMP/eMuseumPlus; 03.2015]

The portrait of 'Martin Luther in a Shroud' complies with a series of identical compositions examined in a comparative study by Georg Stuhlfauth in 1927. The university of Leipzig owns two works of this pictorial type. However the other version depicts Luther against a light background and is slightly larger

The portrait of 'Martin Luther in a Shroud' complies with a series of identical compositions examined in a comparative study by Georg Stuhlfauth in 1927. The university of Leipzig owns two works of this pictorial type. However the other version depicts Luther against a light background and is slightly larger in size. (see Inv. No. 1951-180).

The prototype of the depiction is probably - corresponding composition - a brush drawing in the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin, and this in turn may be the portrait of the deceased Luther that was according to eye-witnesses executed by Furtenagel in Eisleben, 'after he [Luther] had lain one night in a coffin' ("nachdem dieser schon eine Nacht im Sarck gelegen"). This context may explain why the painting has been repeatedly attributed to Furtenagel, although Cranach's authorship is more probable.

[http://service.uni-leipzig.de/eMP/eMuseumPlus; 03.2015]

Attributions
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[cda 2015]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[http://service.uni-leipzig.de/eMP/eMuseumPlus; 03.2015]

Production date
after 1546

Production date

after 1546

[cda 2015]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 50 x 34 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 50 x 34 cm

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 48 x 32.5 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 58 x 42.5 x 2.7 cm

  • [http://service.uni-leipzig.de/eMP/eMuseumPlus; 03.2015]

Signature / Dating

None

Owner
Kunstsammlung der Universität Leipzig
Repository
Kunstsammlung der Universität Leipzig
Location
Leipzig
CDA ID
DE_KSUL_0633-90
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSUL_0633-90/

Provenance

  • propety of the university library, Leipzig
    [Kunstsammlung der Universität Leipzig, revised 2015]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015 131 58 Fig. p. 131
EditorGünter Schuchardt
TitleCranach, Luther und die Bildnisse. Katalog zur Sonderausstellung auf der Wartburg, 2. April bis 19. Juli 2015
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Schuchardt 2015 B 48, 49 No. 58 Fig. 28
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitlePrivileg und Monopol - Die Lutherporträts der Cranach-Werkstatt
Publicationin Günther Schuchardt, ed., Cranach, Luther und die Bildnisse, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2015
Pages24-52
Show Literature
  • Martin Luther on his Death-bed, after 1546

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr
  • detail

Technical studies

03. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

DESCRIPTION

An underdrawing is only occasionally visible; delicate fine lines (dark chalk?) on the nose and the right hand suggest that a pre-existing design may have been traced or copied

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Martin Luther on his Death-bed', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSUL_0633-90/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Martin Luther on his Death-bed', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSUL_0633-90/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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