John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony

John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony

Title

John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony

[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

A half-length portrait facing right. The sitter wears a black fur-trimmed gown, a black beret, a black doublet and a white shirt. His hands are clasped and he wears a ring with a blue precious stone on his right index finger. The background is blue.

[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

Attributions
Master I.S.
Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop

Attributions

Master I.S.

[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop

[cda 2012]

Production date
about 1560

Production date

about 1560

[Teget-Welz 2018, 223, 225]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 49.5 x 36 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 49.5 x 36 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 57 x 44 cm

  • [Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia left of sitter's shoulder: Monogram "IS" (linked)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia left of sitter's shoulder: Monogram "IS" (linked)

  • [Görres, CDA 2012]

Owner
Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt
Repository
Lutherhaus Wittenberg
Location
Wittenberg
CDA ID
DE_LHW_G88
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_LHW_G88/

Provenance

  • recorded in the inventory in gotha in the 18th century
  • 1939 purchased by the Lutherhaus
    [Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Teget-Welz 2018 210, 212, 218, 220, 223, 228 Fig. 25
AuthorManuel Teget-Welz
TitleVon Gotha in die Ganze Welt. Die Fürstenserie des Monogrammisten IS
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
Pages209-228
Show Literature
Joestel 2008 141 p. 140
EditorVolkmar Joestel
TitleLuthers Schatzkammer. Kostbarkeiten im Lutherhaus Wittenberg
Place of PublicationDößel
Year of Publication2008
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Wittenberg 1992 p. 182
AuthorVolkmar Joestel
TitleDer Reformator mit dem Hammer. Zur Wirkungsgeschichte von Luthers "Thesenanschlag" bis 1917
Place of PublicationWittenberg
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Kabus 1986 5
AuthorRonny Kabus
Title"Es erstattet doch nimmer ein Sieg, was verloren wird durch den Krieg"
SeriesSchriftenreihe der Staatlichen Lutherhalle Wittenberg
Volume2
Place of PublicationWittenberg
Year of Publication1986
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 cf. 272
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
Jordan 1924 29
AuthorJulius Jordan
TitleZur Geschichte der Sammlungen der Lutherhalle 1877-1922
Place of PublicationWittenberg
Year of Publication1924
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

'does not appear to be by the same artist who executed the portraits of Ernst of Braunschweig-Lüneburg and Ernst of Braunschweig-Grubenhagen, a copy?'

[Lutherhaus Wittenberg, revised 2012]

  • John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony, about 1560

Images

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Documents

Technical studies

06. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- delicate, fine traced lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- probably transferred from a pre-existing design (traced)

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Conservation History

Date01.05.2001

  • conservation treatment by Ateliergemeinschaft Reschke & Beck

Date25.01.1983

  • written by Susanne Guthknecht

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_LHW_G88/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'John the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_LHW_G88/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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