Portrait of George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony

- beech wood (Fagus sp.); dendrochronological analysis of the panel was carried out by Prof.Dr.Peter Klein, report from 26.10.2013

- radial cut

- two planks vertically aligned and butt-joined

- widths: plank I: 18.5, plank II: 24.7 cm

- no visible damage or reinforcement of the joins

- the panel was thinned and an consequently the original surface on the reverse was lost

- originally fitted in a grooved frame. The bottom edge exhibits the original rebate fashioned for a grooved frame (the end-grain was reworked); the remaining three edges have been planed and the rebate removed.

- trimmed later along the left, right and top edges

- white, probably chalk/glue mixture (not tested)

- thin application

- the barb has not been retained as the panel was trimmed on three sides

- no incised lines and no imprimatura

- lines drawn with a lead pencil, stylus among others

- visible to the naked eye in the flesh tones

- no alterations were made during the painting process except in the area of the mouths

- intial gey washes under the black robe and (very thin) beneath the flesh paint

- flesh paint: very economic grey wash, blended wet-in-wet, above semi-opaque to opaque flesh tones blended wet-in-wet, the grey in the shadows shines through from beneath as well as being added later in places and blended with the flesh paint. The contours are also in part blended (nose), hair, highlights in the flesh paint.

- robe: initial grey layer ,above this very dark grey opaque to semi-transparent application, then pure black was employed to model the folds in the drapery and the motifs. The areas of flesh paint and the hands were held in reserve. The chain was added last and then the highlights were applied.

- glazes, semi-opaque brushstrokes, in the background semi-opaque brush application and while still wet blended with a dabbing action

- pointed brush, rounded flat brushes of up to c. 1.5 cm width (see background)

- not original, probably 19th century

- dimensions: 81 x 63 x 5 cm

- coniferous wood, flat surface verneered, the profile is hardwood

- mortise and tenon join, overlapping on the reverse and mitred at the front; profile attached to the flat surface; colour: the profile is black, the flat sufrface has a walnut verneer

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Youngest annual ring: 1529

DESCRIPTION

- an underdrawing is not clearly visible; traced lines possibly reinforced with darker lines executed with a brush

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- possibly with reference to a preparatory drawing or transferred (traced) from a pre-existing design

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

Support:

• was probably broken (split) close to the join

• the panel has been trimmed on the left and right sides (within this context the last digit of the date was truncated, it appears to have been a '4'); the top and bottom edges appear to have been planed.

• the reverse of the panel has been thinned and cradled (flat cradle, the cross-members are blocked)

• along the bottom edge the original rebate for the grooved frame has been retained.

• at the front the planks are not perfectly flush, at the top the join is split (c. 8 cm)

• battens have been glued to the endgrain at the top and to the left and right edges. The dimensions of the panel are therefore 1.5 cm broader and 1 cm higher. The battens were not treated and exhibit bare wood.

• there is old woodworm damage in the lower half of the image.

Paint layers/Ground

• in good condition

• faint network of ageing cracks typical of wooden panels

• slight increase in the transparency of the flesh paint and the background

• the last digit of the signature has been truncated, see above

• losses along the edge of the painting and the join (retouched). Extensively retouched along the bottom edge, isolated retouches in the flesh paint and in the background at the left (from a campaign in 1906, see UV image)

• the black retouches have darkened

• abrasion along the edge of the panel from the rebate of the frame

Varnish:

• the varnish coatings are not original; numerous varnish layers of different ages

• they vary in thickness and their degree of yellowing due to partial cleaning; the partial cleaning has left the varnish layer in the areas of the background and the flesh paint considerably thicker

• the last varnish removal was in 1906

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]

From the archive file "Restaurierungen" in the MdbK:

Restaurierung von Gemälden etc. betr. Bd. IV. Ergangen vor dem Rate der Stadt Leipzig 1925.

Sheets 6.-29. Treatment report by Walter Kühn, Leipzig [August 1925]. 402) "Bildnis, Georg der Bärtige" von Cranach d. Ä. [Inv.-Nr. 43] gereinigt, mit Terpentin abgerieben, regeneriert ['Portrait of Georg the Bearded' by Cranach the Elder (Inv. No. 43) cleaned, rubbed with oil of terpentine, regenerated]

[mit roter Tinte:] "F[irnis]. enthält etwas Oel." [[in red ink:] 'Varnish contains some oil.']

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]

From the archive file "Restaurierungen" in the MdbK:

Acta, betr das Gemälde-Restauriren, Bd. III, Ergangen beim städt. Museum zu Leipzig Zeitraum: 1890 - 20.6.1922

Sheet 162. Treatment report by Philipp Ritter, Leipzig 31.12.1906. Report concerning treatment of the painting between the 5.03.1906 and the beginning of December 1906...

No. 43. Lucas Cranach d. Ält. (Bildniß Georg des Bärtigen) [Cranach d. Ä., Inv.-Nr. 43]. Das Bild mußte von alten Uebermalungen befreit werden, der alte Firniß vorher entfernt, viele capute Stellen restauriert, sodann neu gefirnißt werden. [No. 43. Lucas Cranach the Elder (Portrait of Georg the Bearded). Old overpaint had to be removed from the painting, the old varnish was removed beforehand, numerous damaged areas were restored and a new varnish was applied.]

[Museum der bildenden Künste, 11.06.2014]