Beheading of St James the Elder

Beheading of St James the Elder

Title

Beheading of St James the Elder

[Böhlitz 2005, 22]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[cda 2015]

lime wood

[Flechsig 1900 B, 24]

The smaller of the horizontal format panels with a basket-handle-like frame depicts the Martyrdom of St James the Elder. The composition, which is uncommon for Cranach the Elder, shows the apostle - identified by the pilgrim's hat with the shell - with his hands bound in front of him. While

The smaller of the horizontal format panels with a basket-handle-like frame depicts the Martyrdom of St James the Elder. The composition, which is uncommon for Cranach the Elder, shows the apostle - identified by the pilgrim's hat with the shell - with his hands bound in front of him. While the High Priest Abiathar convinces the the ruler Herodes Agrippa about the execution, the henchman has already raised his hand to strike the fatal blow. The somewhat bored soldiers standing around belong to the standard repertoire of contemporary depictions of the Martyrdom, as can be found by Albrecht Dürer.

[Böhlitz 2005, 23]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Hans Kemmer (in Cranach the Elder's workshop)

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

['Werkstatt Lucas Cranach d. Ä. (Hans Kemmer)', Heydenreich 2021 B, 67] [Böhlitz 2005, 22-23]

Hans Kemmer (in Cranach the Elder's workshop)

['Werkstatt Lucas Cranach d. Ä. (Hans Kemmer)', Heydenreich 2021 B, 67]

Production dates
about 1515 - 1525
about 1518 - 1520

Production dates

about 1515 - 1525

[Böhlitz 2005, 22]

about 1518 - 1520

[Flechsig 1900 B, 24]

Dimensions
Dimensions of visible surface: 76.6 x 134.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of visible surface: 76.6 x 134.5 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 95.2 x 153.5 cm

  • [cda 2015]

Signature / Dating

None

Owner
Ev.-Luth. St.-Petri-Schlosskirchgemeinde Chemnitz
Repository
Schlosskirche Chemnitz
Location
Chemnitz
CDA ID
DE_PSKC_NONE-PSKC001
FR (1978) Nr.
FRSup018C
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_PSKC_NONE-PSKC001/

Exhibitions

  • Dresden 1899, No. 149

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Heydenreich 2021 B 59, 61, 63, 64, 69 Fig. 6
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleHans Kemmer: Spuren künstlerischer Gestaltungsprozesse. Teil II: Wittenberg
Publicationin Dagmar Täube, ed., Lucas Cranach der Ältere und Hans Kemmer. Meistermaler zwischen Renaissance und Reformation [Lübeck, St. Annen-Museum]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2021
Pages59-69
Show Literature
Cat. Chemnitz 2014 20 13
EditorEv.-Luth. St.-Petri-Schlosskirchgemeinde Chemnitz
TitleEv.-Luth. Schloßkirche Chemnitz
Place of PublicationChemnitz
Year of Publication2014
Show Literature
Böhlitz 2005 19, 23, 24 Pl. 4
AuthorMichael Böhlitz
TitleAltargemälde von Lucas Cranach dem Älteren, Lucas Cranach dem Jüngeren und ihren Schülern im Chemnitzer Raum
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages18-43
Show Literature
Magirius 1997 22
AuthorHeinrich Magirius
TitleDie Schloßkirche in Chemnitz
SeriesGroße Baudenkmäler
Volume509
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1997
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 Sup18B
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Röber 1975 20
AuthorWolf-Dieter Röber
TitleKunstwerke des Schlossbergmuseums und der Schlosskirche Karl-Marx-Stadt
Place of PublicationKarl-Marx-Stadt [Chemnitz]
Year of Publication1975
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 368b
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
Flechsig 1900 A 97-98
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleCranachstudien
Volume1
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link page/n5/mode/2up
Show Literature
Flechsig 1900 B 24 65
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleTafelbilder Lucas Cranachs d. Ä. und seiner Werkstatt
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/flechsig1900tafeln
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899 93 149
EditorKarl Woermann
TitleDeutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1899
Link http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

As Woermann had already registered in the Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899, 93 the panel could be the predella belonging to an altarpiece, the wing panels of which are also preserved in the Schlosskirche Chemnitz. These two workshop panels depict 'A Pope's Sermon to the Pagans' (186.5 x 60,5 cm) and 'The Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand' (186 x 61.2 cm).

[Görres, cda 2015]

  • Beheading of St James the Elder, about 1515 - 1525

Images

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Technical studies

03. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid black medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed freehand underdrawing

- thin to broader lines; fine lines in the faces

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate the main contours and define essential details and facial features; no representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define forms; small changes (e. g. right foot of the man at the left; the eyes of the man behind, on the right)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder or an assistant?

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2015]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

03. 2015Technical Examination

Support

- the support consists of vertivally aligned planks and exhibit a certain amount of tow

Framing

- the original frame has not been preserved

[Heydenreich, cda 2015]

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Beheading of St James the Elder', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_PSKC_NONE-PSKC001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Beheading of St James the Elder', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_PSKC_NONE-PSKC001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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