The Suicide of Lucretia

The Suicide of Lucretia

Titles

The Suicide of Lucretia

[CDA 2011]

Lucretia

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 142, No. 358D]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]
[Klein report 03.03.2016]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude against a dark background. Her face expresses sufferance and is inclined slightly to one side. She looks at the viewer. In her right hand she holds a long dagger with the tip pointed towards herself. She wears nothing other than a

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude against a dark background. Her face expresses sufferance and is inclined slightly to one side. She looks at the viewer. In her right hand she holds a long dagger with the tip pointed towards herself. She wears nothing other than a thin transparent head veil, which she holds in front of her vulva together with her left hand. In addition she has a number of pieces of jewelry: a thin choker and two delicate chains. Her blond hair is pinned up.

[Herrschaft, CDA 2010]

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 142, No. 358D]
[Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899, No. 86]

Production dates
after 1537
about 1537

Production dates

after 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 142, No. 358D]
[Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899, No.86]

about 1537

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 51.2 x 34.8 x 1.2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 51.2 x 34.8 x 1.2 cm

  • [Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on left side of the bottom edge: winged serpent with dropped wings

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on left side of the bottom edge: winged serpent with dropped wings

  • [Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg, revised 2010]

Inscriptions and Labels

none Reverse: - adhesive label HKA

  • adhesive label: 'No 55'
  • handwritten: '88'
    [Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • none

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse: - adhesive label HKA

    • adhesive label: 'No 55'
    • handwritten: '88'

  • [Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Owner
Veste Coburg Kunstsammlungen
Repository
Veste Coburg Kunstsammlungen
Location
Coburg
CDA ID
DE_KSVC_M160
FR (1978) Nr.
FR358D
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSVC_M160/

Provenance

  • Ducal property, Coburg
  • 1876 Ducal Art and Antiquities Collection, Coburg (Herzogliche Kunst- und Altertümersammlung der Veste Coburg (HKA))
  • 1919 Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg (KVC)
  • 1921 displayed in the residential quarters of the Ducal Palace (Fürstenbau), Coburg
    [Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1899, no. 86

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 100, 101, 103 17 Pl. p. 101
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Show Literature
Weschenfelder 2018 A 20
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg.
Publicationin Klaus Weschenfelder, ed., Cranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Pages7-23
Show Literature
Herrschaft, Heydenreich 2014 93-96 5
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Jana Herrschaft
TitleUna Lucrecia de Lucas Cranach el Viejo en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao / A Lucretia by Lucas Cranach the Elder at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
JournalBilbao Fine Arts Museum Bulletin
Issue8
Year of Publication2014
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7016/2097/3068/Herrschaft_Heydenreich_2014_A_Lucretia_by_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf
Pages85-109
Show Literature
Bierende 2002
AuthorEdgar Bierende
TitleLucas Cranach d.Ä. und der deutsche Humanismus. Tafelmalerei im Kontext von Rhetorik, Chroniken und Fürstenspiegeln
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2002
Show Literature
Follak 2002
AuthorJan Follak
TitleLucretia zwischen positiver und negativer Anthropologie: Coluccio Salutatis Declamatio Lucretie und die Menschenbilder im exemplum der Lucretia von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication2002
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 142 No. 358D
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Cat. Coburg 1972 No. M160
AuthorHeino Maedebach
EditorLWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, Münster
TitleVeste Coburg, Kunst- und Altertümersammlung
Place of PublicationCoburg
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 82 289k
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899 No. 86
EditorKarl Woermann
TitleDeutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1899
Link http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

It may be assumed from the pose that the same template was used for this depiction of Lucretia as for the variants in the SPSG [FR240Q] and in Houston [FR237]. However stylistically she corresponds more closely with variants that were created at the same time (between 1535 and 1540) and show Lucretia covering her vulva.

[Herrschaft, cda 2010]

  • The Suicide of Lucretia, after 1537

Images

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Documents

Technical studies

2018Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

Support

- beech wood

- two vertically aligned and butt-joined planks. Plank I: 24.5 cm; plank II: 10.3 cm.

- there is a rebate along all four edges 0.7 cm wide

- remnants of oak wood are present on the right-hand side, probably from a previous frame

- horizontal toolmarks from a blockplane

- the join has been reinforced with tow

- the surface was stained a reddish-brown tone

- Dendrochronology: the following annual rings were recorded and measured: plank I: 116 annual rings 1527-1412; plank II: 38 annual rings 1460-1423. Plank I is from the same tree as the two planks used for the support of the painting 'Adam and Eve' in Berlin (dated 1533) [DE_smbGG_567], with the youngst annual ring from the year 1529. The youngst annual ring from this panel is also from the year 1529. Generally with beech wood the entire section is used and only the bark is removed, therefore a felling date of 1529 can be estimated. The wood was then seasoned for at least two years before it was used (Klein 2016).

Ground and Imprimatura

- chalk ground

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

03.03.2016Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Dendrochronology: plank I 116 annual rings 1527 -1412; plank II 38 annual rings 1460-1423

The youngest annual ring is from 1530 (see other panels from the same tree)

[Klein report, 03.03.2016]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Condition Reports

Date2018

Varnish:

  • the painting has a glossy resin varnish, which was probably applied more than once. The strong fluorescence of this layer restricts the identification of retouches under UV light to a few relatively new ones.

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

Conservation History

Date1975

Restoration

[Cat. Coburg 2018, 100]

  • conservation treatment by Richard Harzenetter

Support made from the same tree

Adam and Eve
  • Adam and Eve, 1533
  • DE_smbGG_567
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Suicide of Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSVC_M160/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Suicide of Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSVC_M160/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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