Allegory of Law and Grace

Title

[CDA 2011]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein, Report 1994]
[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

This panel illustrates Martin Luther's doctrine of justification. A tree divides the image down the centre into two sections: sin on the left and grace on the right. The left side shows Adam and Eve with the serpent and the tree of knowledge; Adam being driven into Hell by Death and the Devil; Moses holding the tablets with the ten commandments, and accompanied by three men; and finally above the judge of the world with angels. The right side shows John the Baptist with Adam; Christ defeating Death and the Devil; the brazen serpent; the expectant Virgin; and the feet of Christ ascending into heaven. Beneath the image passages from the Bible illustrating Luther's doctrine of justification are quoted - in particular from the Letter to the Romans.

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop	[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Exhib. Cat. Weimar 2015, 48]

Production date: about 1535 - 1540

Production date

about 1535 - 1540

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52] [Exhib. Cat. Weimar 2015, 48]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 54 x 102 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 54 x 102 cm
[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Signature / Dating: None

Inscriptions and Labels: printed on paper and attached to the panel Seal
[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

printed on paper and attached to the panel

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

Seal
[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Owner: Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Museums
Repository: Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Museums
Location: Weimar

CDA ID: DE_KSW_G12a
FR (1978) Nr.: FR221A
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSW_G12a/

Provenance

1827 auctioned from the collection of H. W. Campe, a salesman from Leipzig
1871 recorded in the Wartburg
transferred to the museum before 1884

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Exhibitions

Weimar, Wittenberg 1953, No. 36
Weimar 1972, 42, Fig. p. 76
Basel, No. 354
Berlin 1983, No. E 52.3, Fig. 359
Nürnberg 1983, under No. 474 and No. 538
Hamburg: Luther und die Folgen für die Kunst.
München 1983, under Nos.. 84 to 89

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015

170

under No. 42

Editor	Julia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper
Title	Bild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Gotha, Herzogliches Museum; Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe]
Place of Publication	Heidelberg
Year of Publication	2015

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Weimar 2015

46-49, 51, 53

Fig. 23, Fig. p. 46, 47 (detail)

Editor	Wolfgang Holler, Karin Kolb
Title	Cranach in Weimar, [Weimar, Schiller-Museum, 3 April - 14 June 2015]
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	2015

Show Literature

Heydenreich 2007 B

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	"... dass Du mit wunderbarer Schnelligkeit malest". Virtuosität und Effizienz in der künstlerischen Praxis Lucas Cranachs d. Ä.
Publication	in Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. FrankfurtA
Place of Publication	Ostfildern
Year of Publication	2007
Pages	29-47

Show Literature

Schade, Schuttwolf 1994

Author	Werner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
Title	Malerei und Plastik
Publication	in Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of Publication	Gotha
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	15-94

Show Literature

Cat. Weimar 1992

52-54

No. 16

Author	Helga Hoffmann
Editor	Kunstsammlungen zu Weimar
Title	Kunstsammlungen zu Weimar. Die deutschen Gemälde des XVI. Jahrhunderts
Place of Publication	Fulda
Year of Publication	1992

Show Literature

Ohly 1985

Fn. 52, 94-99

Author	Friedrich Ohly
Title	Gesetz und Evangelium: zur Typologie bei Luther und Lucas Cranach: zum Blutstrahl der Gnade in der Kunst
Place of Publication	Münster
Year of Publication	1985

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1983

No. E52.3

Fig. 359

Editor	Altes Museum, Berlin
Title	Kunst der Reformationzeit
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1983

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 1983 A

under Nos. 84-89

Editor	Werner Hofmann
Title	Luther und die Folgen für die Kunst, [Hamburg, Kunsthalle. 1983-1984]
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	1983

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Nuremberg 1983

under Nos. 474, 538

Editor	Gerhard Bott
Title	Martin Luther und die Reformation in Deutschland. Ausstellung zum 500. Geburtstag Martin Luthers
Place of Publication	Frankfurt a. M.
Year of Publication	1983

Show Literature

Andersson 1981

43ff., particularly 51

Fig. 11

Author	Christiane D. Anderson
Title	Religiöse Bilder Cranachs im Dienste der Reformation
Publication	in L.W. Spitz, ed., Humanismus und Reformation als kulturelle Kräfte in der Deutschen Geschichte
Place of Publication	Berlin, New York
Year of Publication	1981
Pages	43-76

Show Literature

Wirth 1981

9-23

Author	Jean Wirth
Title	Le dogme en image: Luther et l'iconographie
Volume	52
Journal	Revue de l'art
Year of Publication	1981
Pages	9-23

Show Literature

Christensen 1979

128ff.

Fig. 4, p. 114

Author	Carl C. Christensen
Title	Art and the reformation in Germany
Place of Publication	Detroit
Year of Publication	1979

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

114

No. 221A

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

509-510

354

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B

Fig. p. 76

Editor	Schlossmuseum Weimar
Title	Lucas Cranach 1472-1553. Ein großer Maler in bewegter Zeit
Place of Publication	Weimar
Year of Publication	1972

Show Literature

Hintzenstern 1972

88f.

Figs. p. 91, p. 27ff.

Author	Herbert von Hintzenstern
Title	Lucas Cranach d. Ä. Altarbilder aus der Reformationszeit
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1972

Show Literature

Thulin 1955

126ff.

Fig. 170, p. 136

Author	Oskar Thulin
Title	Cranach-Altäre der Reformation
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1955

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953

No. 36

Author	Walther Scheidig
Editor	Deutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
Title	Lucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of Publication	Weimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication	1953

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

183a

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

Show Literature

Glaser 1923

230

Author	Curt Glaser
Title	Lukas Cranach
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1923
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glaser1923

Show Literature

Cat. Weimar 1913

No. 149

Editor	Willibald Hermens
Title	Katalog des Groszherzoglichen Museums zu Weimar
Place of Publication	Weimar
Year of Publication	1913

Show Literature

Cat. Weimar 1910

No. 143

Author	n. a.
Title	Katalog des Groszherzoglichen Museums zu Weimar
Place of Publication	Weimar
Issue	Sixth edition
Year of Publication	1910

Show Literature

Cat. Weimar 1894

No. 7

Author	n. a.
Title	Katalog des Groszherzoglichen Museums zu Weimar
Place of Publication	Weimar
Year of Publication	1894

Show Literature

Lehfeldt 1894

408

Author	Paul Lehfeldt
Title	Bau- und Kunst-Denkmäler Thüringens
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Jena
Year of Publication	1894

Show Literature

Cat. Weimar 1884

No. 12

Author	n. a.
Title	Katalog des Groszherzoglichen Museums zu Weimar
Place of Publication	Weimar
Year of Publication	1884

Show Literature

Schuchardt 1871

199-201

Author	Christian Schuchardt
Title	Lucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Dritter Theil
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1871
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1871bd3

Show Literature

Heller 1844

Author	Joseph Heller
Title	Das Leben und die Werke Lucas Cranach's
Place of Publication	Bamberg
Year of Publication	1844

Show Literature

Allegory of Law and Grace, about 1535 - 1540

Images

Documents

Technical studies

06.10.2014Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

DE_KSW_G12a_FR221A_2014-10_X-radiograph-report.pdf

Equipment: ERESCO 42 MF 4 from the company GE.

Scanner: CRxFlex.

Parameters: 60 KV, 6mA, 20 seconds

distance from object:: 3m

[HfBK Dresden, Prof. I. Mohrmann, K. Risse, 06.10.2014]

created by HfBK Dresden
created by I. Mohrmann
created by K. Risse

04. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid dark grey medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing, more binding for the central composition

- thin lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

30.09.1994Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

DE_KSW_G12a_FR221A_1994_analysis-report-001.pdf

Support

The most recent annual ring 1533, earliest date of production 1535

analysed by Peter Klein

1988Technical Examination

Support

- three horizontal planks

- there is a rebate running around all four sides of the reverse of the panel, c. 10 mm wide, 8 mm deep

Underdrawing

- the underdrawing is visible; some Pentimenti (the leaves on the tree, some of the angels wings)

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the edge of the painted surface has been retained on all four sides

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

1974Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

Condition Reports

Date1988

the painted surface is in good condition
on the left: old, broad scratch
on the left and top, right retouches
underdrawing visble

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Conservation History

Date1961 - 1962

among other measures: new varnish

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 52]

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Allegory of Law and Grace', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSW_G12a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Allegory of Law and Grace', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KSW_G12a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.