Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso]

Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso]

Title

Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso]

[cda 2015]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[cda 2015]

Recto: The inner side of the panel depicts St Alexander standing in a landscape. He is a follower of St Maurice from the Thebian Legion. An overthrown leader lying at his feet represents his victory over paganism. The saint is turned to the central panel and holds a banner with

Recto: The inner side of the panel depicts St Alexander standing in a landscape. He is a follower of St Maurice from the Thebian Legion. An overthrown leader lying at his feet represents his victory over paganism. The saint is turned to the central panel and holds a banner with a red cross on a white background in his hand. His left hand rests on the hilt of his sword.

Verso: The saint is shown as a full-length figure positioned under an arch with renaissance ornamentation. This architectural element is repeated on all the panels open at this stage. St Augustine is wearing splendid bishop's vestments and in his hands he holds a crozier and a book with a pierced heart resting on it. This attribute refers to a passage in the 'Confessions' of Augustine where it is reported that his heart was pierced by love. His head is framed by a circular, transparent halo.

[Görres, cda 2015]

Attributions
Master of the Mass of St Gregory
Simon Franck

Attributions

Master of the Mass of St Gregory

[Emmendörffer 1998, 218][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, no. Sup6A]

Simon Franck

[Matauschek 2016, 108] [Krause 2013, 29] [Kramer 2012, 7] [Tacke 1992, 47-56]

Hans Cranach

[Flechsig 1900 A, 281]

Production date
1529

Production date

1529

[dated on second movable wing on the left]

Dimensions
Dimensions of painted surface: 264 (approx.) x 100.8 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 264 (approx.) x 100.8 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 285 x 114 cm

  • [Heydenreich, cda 2015]

Signature / Dating
None
Inscriptions and Labels
In the halos: - Recto: 'SANCTVS ALEXANDER' - Verso: 'SANCTVS AVGVSTINVS'

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • In the halos: - Recto:
  • 'SANCTVS ALEXANDER'
  • - Verso:
  • 'SANCTVS AVGVSTINVS'
  • [cda 2015]
Owner
Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
Repository
Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
Location
Halle
CDA ID
DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c
FR (1978) Nr.
FRSup006A
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c/

Provenance

  • the panel is dated 1529, but its early history still remains uncertain: it may initially have been installed in the Collegiate Church (Stiftskirche) in Halle before being moved slightly later to the Marktkirche. The exact date remains a matter of debate.
  • according to an entry in the account books the altarpiece was already in place in the Marktkirche by 1540.
  • in 1841 it was dismantled and replaced by the so-called Hübner-Altar; the panels were then displayed in the church as single units and the original frame was lost.
  • in 1942 during the WW2 the altarpiece was evacuated to Niemberg
  • in 1943 the predella was transferred to Petersberg
  • in 1945 the predella was tranferred to Wiesbaden
  • in 1948 the altarpiece (excluding the predella) was returned to the Marktkirche
  • the predella was returned in 1961
  • in 1984 the altarpiece was finally installed in its present position after a burst pipe in the church ocasioned comprehensive renovation and conservation
    [Matauschek 2016, 109, 110]

Exhibitions

  • Dresden 1899, No. 102

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Matauschek 2016
AuthorKatja Matauschek
TitleDas Marienretabel in der Marktkirche Halle (Saale)
Publicationin Elisabeth Rüber-Schütte, ed., Lucas Cranach in Sachsen-Anhalt. Forschungen und Berichte aus der Denkmalpflege
SeriesKleine Hefte zur Denkmalpflege
Volume10
Place of PublicationHalle
Year of Publication2016
Pages94-123
Show Literature
Rüber-Schütte 2016 95-123
EditorElisabeth Rüber-Schütte
TitleLucas Cranach in Sachsen-Anhalt
SeriesKleine Hefte zur Denkmalpflege
Volume10
Place of PublicationHalle
Year of Publication2016
Show Literature
Tacke 2015 86
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleGleich dem Kaninchen vor der Schlange? Altgläubige und die Wittenberger Bildpropaganda.
Publicationin Julia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha and Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, eds., Bild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel]
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2015
Pages82-90
Show Literature
Kramer 2012
EditorSabine Kramer
TitleDer Marienaltar in der Marktkirche zu Halle. Bildprogramm und Geschichte
Place of PublicationHalle
Year of Publication2012
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2007 B 39-40
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
Title"... dass Du mit wunderbarer Schnelligkeit malest". Virtuosität und Effizienz in der künstlerischen Praxis Lucas Cranachs d. Ä.
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. FrankfurtA
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Pages29-47
Show Literature
Tacke 2007 C 81, 82, 84
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleMit Cranachs Hilfe: Antireformatorische Kunstwerke vor dem Tridentiner Konzil
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, [Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt am Main]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2012/2000
Pages81-89
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Halle 2006 30, 31 Fig. 7
EditorThomas Schauerte
TitleDer Kardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg. Renaissancefürst und Mäzen. Bd. 1: Katalog
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2006
Show Literature
Smith 2006 28, 30, 31 Fig. 7
AuthorJeffrey Chipps Smith
TitleDie Kunst des Scheiterns
Publicationin Thomas Schauerte, ed., Der Kardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg. Renaissancefürst und Mäzen. Bd. 1: Katalog
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2006
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005 66, 116 (English version 29, 44, 45) under nos. 8, 30
EditorObrazárna Pražského hradu, Kaliopi Chamonikola
TitlePod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme. Under the winged Serpent. Lucas Cranach and the Czech Land
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Emmendörffer 1998 218
AuthorChristoph Emmendörffer
TitleDie selbständigen Cranachschüler
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Pages203-228
Show Literature
Tacke 1992 47-56 19-23
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleDer katholische Cranach. Zu zwei Großaufträgen von Lucas Cranach d. Ä., Simon Franck und der Cranach-Werkstatt (1520 - 1540)
SeriesBerliner Schriften zur Kunst
Volume2
Place of PublicationMainz
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Flechsig 1900 A 131
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleCranachstudien
Volume1
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link page/n5/mode/2up
Show Literature

Connected Works

Altarpiece of the Virgin [central panel]: The Virgin and Child on a Crescent Moon Venerated by Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [central panel]: The Virgin and Child on a Crescent Moon Venerated by Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001a
  • Painting
  • Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, left]: St Maurice [recto]; St John [verso]
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, left]: St Maurice [recto]; St John [verso], 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001b
  • Painting
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Altarpiece of the Virgin [outer movable wing, left]: St Magdalene [recto]; Virgin of the Annunciation [verso]
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [outer movable wing, left]: St Magdalene [recto]; Virgin of the Annunciation [verso], 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001d
  • Painting
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Altarpiece of the Virgin [outer movable wing, right]: St Catherine [recto]; Angel of the Annunciation [verso]
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [outer movable wing, right]: St Catherine [recto]; Angel of the Annunciation [verso], 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001e
  • Painting
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Altarpiece of the Virgin [left fixed wing]: St Ursula
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [left fixed wing]: St Ursula, 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001f
  • Painting
  • Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
Altarpiece of the Virgin [right fixed wing]: St Erasmus
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [right fixed wing]: St Erasmus, 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001g
  • Painting
  • Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
Altarpiece of the Virgin [predella]: The Virgin and Child with the Fourteen Helpers in Need
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [predella]: The Virgin and Child with the Fourteen Helpers in Need, 1529
  • DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001h
  • Painting
  • Evangelische Marktkirchengemeinde Halle
  • Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso], 1529

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • reverse

Technical studies

1994 - Technical Examination

Support

- the support consists of deciduous wood and is about 1.2 cm thick

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the green garment was initially painted black the folds were then added in green paint

- the contours were incised in the ground layer

Framing

- the frame with an inserted gilded profile is not original, but possibly from the 19th century

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich

Condition Reports

Date2016

The condition of the altarpiece varies considerably from panel to panel. The wing panels painted on both sides appear to be less problematical. Many of the panels transferred to new supports exhibit more recent damage (paint loss and tenting).

See [Matauschek 2016, 116-118] for a full report.

Date1967

Description of the damage caused by the burst pipe

[Matauschek 2016, 114, 115]

Date1949

  • report of condition after return from Niemberg; first mention of loss in the face of St Erasmus

[Matauschek 2016, 113]

Date27.04.1885

Evaluation of the condition:

the altarpiece was moved to accomodate Hübner's new altarpiece: the wing panel depicting St Catherine and both sides of the panel depicting St John and St Maurice exhibited bands of flaking and paint loss. Conservation and reinstallment was recommended.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

  • examined by Hugo von Tschudis

Date23.03.1881

Evaluation of the condition regarding the possible loan to the Dresden Cranach exhibition in1899. According to W. Böhm (restorer at the Gemäldegalerie, Königliche Museen Berlin) the panels exhibited splits and blistering that were limited to the draperies and background. However, should the panels be lent this damage could extend to the faces and hands.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

Conservation History

Date2015

Conservation treatment

[Matauschek 2016, 123, Fn. 110]

  • conservation treatment by Jana Bösenberg

Date2009 - 2010

Paint layers:

  • surface cleaning and consolidation of flaking paint

[Matauschek 2016, 116]

Date1982 - 1983

Paint layers:

  • consolidated with wax

  • old retouches and varnish removed

  • losses were filled and retouched

Varnish:

  • dammar and wax brush appplication

Frame (not original):

  • surface cleaning

  • losses filled and retouched

  • dammar varnish application

[Matauschek 2016, 15]

Date1967

The blooming of the varnish caused by the excess moisture in the atmosphere after the pipe burst was regenerated using the Pettenkofer process (whereby the blanched painting was exposed to alcohol vapour and copaiba balsam).

[Matauschek 2016, 115]

Date1964

  • consolidation with casein

[Matauschek 2016, 114]

Date1953 - 1959

  • consolidation with casein

[Matauschek 2016, 114]

Date1950 - 1951

  • consolidation of blistering paint with casein

[Matauschek 2016, 114]

Date1939 - 1942

During this treatment campaign the predella was transferred to hardboard. The wood of the original support was removed,wax and mastic was used as an adhesive and gauze as an interlayer. The treatent proved very problematical. In addition the paint layers of the wing panels depicting Sts John and Maurice [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001b] and Sts. Alexander and Augustine [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c] were consolidated.

[Matauschek 2016, 113]

  • conservation treatment by Albert Leusch

Date1899

In preparation for the Cranach exhibition in Dresden (1899) at which selected component parts of the altarpiece were exhibited. The treatment included further thinning of the central panel and a new cradle was attached to the reverse.

[Matauschek 2016, 112]

  • conservation treatment by Edwin Birk
  • conservation treatment by Hermann Schütz

Date1861 - 1862

Support: problems along the joints of the wooden boards, particularly those already treated in 1839

Ground and paint layers: lack of adhesion between the ground and wooden support, blistering and tenting, flaking paint and paint loss

Varnish and old retouches:the oil varnish had dulled, the retouches discoloured

Conservation carried out by Carl Martin Schirmer:

Support: cradled (central panel); the fixed wings [DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001f and DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001g] were transferred to canvas.

Ground, paint and varnish layers: consolidation, varnish removal and retouching

[Matauschek 2016, 111, 112]

  • conservation treatment by Carl Martin Schirmer

Date1839

Altar removed from original position in the church; the frame was then replaced; open joints on the central panel were reglued, filled and retouched.

[Matauschek 2016, 111]

Date1657

First reference to an intervention employing gold, silver, varnish and paint; apparently the water gilding on the central panel was at this point renewed and replaced with oil gilding.

[Matauschek 2016, 111]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Altarpiece of the Virgin [inner movable wing, right]: St Alexander [recto]; St Augustine [verso]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MKH_NONE-MKH001c/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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