Caritas Romana

Caritas Romana

Titles

Caritas Romana

[Cat. Würzburg 1986, 125, No. 314]

Portrait of a Young Woman

[cda 2019]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Cat. Würzburg 1986, 125, No. 314]

According to the ancient Roman story Cimon was incarcerated and sentenced to death by starvation and then breastfeed by his daughter Pero (Roman Charity). [Cat. Würzburg 1986, 125, No. 314]

Attribution
Master HB (with a griffin's head)

Attribution

Master HB (with a griffin's head)

[Cat. Würzburg 1986, 124-125, No. 313]

Production date
1546

Production date

1546

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 51.4 x 33.7 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 51.4 x 33.7 cm

  • [Heydenreich, cda 2019]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at upper right: 'HB' (Griffin head) and dated '1546'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at upper right: 'HB' (Griffin head) and dated '1546'

Owner
Martin von Wagner Museum der Universität Würzburg
Repository
Martin von Wagner Museum der Universität Würzburg
Location
Würzburg
CDA ID
DE_MWMW_F1421
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MWMW_F1421/

Provenance

upper part, depicting Pero:

  • 1965 aquired by Princess Elisabeth Ruspoli, Brussels
  • formerly Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne
    [Cat. Würzburg 1986, 124-125, No. 313]

lower part, depicting Cimon:

  • early acquisition
    [Cat. Würzburg 1986, 125, No. 314]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Kummer 2005
AuthorStefan Kummer
TitleDie Caritas Romana des Meisters HB mit dem Greifenkopf
JournalBlick. Das Magazin der Bayerischen Julius-Maximus-Universität Würzburg
IssueHeft 1/2005
Year of Publication2005
Pages12-14
Show Literature
Cat. Würzburg 1986 124 No. 313 Fig. p. 124
AuthorVolker Hoffmann, Konrad Koppe
TitleGemäldekatalog. Martin von Wagner Museum der Universität Würzburg
Place of PublicationWürzburg
Year of Publication1986
Show Literature
Cat. Kühnel-Kunze 1960
AuthorIrene Kunze
TitleHans Brosamer und der Meister HB mit dem Greifenkopf. Ein weiterer Beitrag zur Brosamer-Forschung.
JournalZeitschrift des deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft
IssueXIV, 1960
Year of Publication1960
Pages57-80
Show Literature
Kunze 1941
AuthorIrene Kunze
TitleDer Meister H B mit dem Greifenkopf. Ein Beitrag zur Brosamer-Forschung.
JournalZeitschrift des deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft
Issue8, Heft 3/4
Year of Publication1941
Link http://biblio.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/cranach/Record/BSZ-PPN364080329
Pages209-238
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

In 1941 Irene Kunze joined together this fragment of a portrait of a young lady with a fragment from a 'Roman Charity' in a photomontage.

After acquiring the portrait in 1965 both paintings were then united. However in 1979 they were separated again, because their different supports and compositional inconsistencies suggested that they never belonged together.

The panels have since been reunited. The erroneous assumption that the support materials differed resulted from the fact that the reverse of the upper part had been reinforced with oak wood, whereas the lower part still displayed the original beech wood support.

[cda 2019]

  • Caritas Romana, 1546

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • detail

Technical studies

03. 2019Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dilute, fluid, black medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin to somewhat broader lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate the main contours and describe essential details and facial features

Deviations:

- numerous minor corrections were made to forms during the painting process; small changes (e. g. the chain)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2019]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Condition Reports

Date03. 2019

  • the support has been thinned to 4 mm, cradled and partially reinforced with oak wood

  • an additional batten of c. 3.5 cm in width has been attached to the upper edge

[Heydenreich, cda 2019]

  • untersucht von Gunnar Heydenreich

Pero's face is extensively overpainted.

[Cat. Würzburg 1986, 124-125, No. 313]

Conservation History

Date1979 -

Both fragment panels were separated as they did not belong together

  • conservation treatment by J. Sattler

Date1965 -

The panel 'Portrait of a Woman' (F1421) and the fragment (F510) of a 'Roman Charity' were joined together.

[Cat. Würzburg 1986, 124-125, No. 313]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Caritas Romana', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MWMW_F1421/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Caritas Romana', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_MWMW_F1421/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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