Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right

Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right

Title

Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right

[KKL 2022]

Painting on beech wood

See German text version

Attribution
Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder

[KKL 2022]

Production date
after 1528

Production date

after 1528

[Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz, revised 2018] [KKL 2022]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 33.4 x 27.3 x 0.9 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 33.4 x 27.3 x 0.9 cm

  • [KKL 2022]

  • Dimensions including frame: 50 x 44.5 x 4.5 cm

  • [Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz, revised 2018]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels

Verso: - central at the upper edge handwritten in brown ink: 'HHolbein pinxi(t) 1536'

  • central handwritten with dark paint "Lucas …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Verso: - central at the upper edge handwritten in brown ink: 'HHolbein pinxi(t) 1536'

    • central handwritten with dark paint "Lucas Cranach" (Rosgartenmuseum: "may have been added by Castell")
    • in the upper left corner handwritten with black marker "M6"

  • [KKL 2022]

Owner
Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz
Repository
Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz
Location
Konstanz
CDA ID
DE_RMK_M6
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
KKL-No
IV.M-Sup03, Part of KKL appendix
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_RMK_M6/

Provenance

  • from the Castell Collection?
  • old Leiner-Inv. 1882, No. 161
    [Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz, revised 2018]

Exhibitions

Konstanz 1954
Mannheim 2017, No. C.2.2.6

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Mannheim 2017 A 483 No. C.2.2.6
EditorAlfried Wieczorek, Stefan Weinfurter
TitleDie Päpste und die Einheit der lateinischen Welt. Antike - Mittelalter - Renaissance
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Cat. Konstanz 1993 73 No. 1.21
TitleDie Kunstwerke des Mittelalters im Rosgartenmuseum
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication1993
Show Literature
Kraus 1887 280
EditorFranz Xaver Kraus
TitleDie Kunstdenkmäler des Grossherzogthums Baden. Erster Band. Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kreises Konstanz
VolumeBd. 1
Place of PublicationFreiburg
Year of Publication1887
Show Literature
Fickler 1864 51 No. 230
AuthorCarl Borromäus Alois Fickler
TitleFührer durch die Stadt Konstanz und die Alterthumshalle im Kaufhause
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
  • Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right, after 1528

Images

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Technical studies

Date2018 - 2021

Support

See German version

1993Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry, black drawing material, stylus

Type/Ductus:

- traced or copied underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate the main contours and describe essential details and facial features; only isolated representation of volume with hatching strokes

Deviations:

- almost no corrections were made to forms during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- probably transferred from a pre-existing design

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

  • photographed by Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz
  • Stereomicroscopy
  • Infrared reflectography

Support

- beech wood

- original tool marks visible, no fibre

- not cropped, from one tangential board, vertical direction of the grain, 9 mm thick, not warped

- marks from a mounting system (centred)

Ground and Imprimatura

- thin, white ground (slightly visible along the edges)

- barbe visible along the bottom edge (only slightly visible at the top and right edges) (c. 10 mm)

- the paint layers do not exhibit a barbe

Underdrawing

- the underdrawing in the face is visible to the naked eye through the paint layers: facial features are indicated, the wrinkles on the forehead are emphasized and long bold strokes define the hair

- free hand execution with no evidence of pounced dots (infrared reflectography)

- for a comparison with underdrawings found on other portrait of Luther in other museums see Cat. Rosgartenmuseum 1993, p. 74.

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the face exhibits very fine brush strokes, also employed in areas of shadow

- no gilding

Framing

- old frame, but not original

[Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz, revised 2018]

Condition Reports

Date2018 - 2021

See German version

  • untersucht von Wibke Ottweiler

Date2018 -

  • good condition

recto: the black paint has sunk (black robe and black beret, Luther is barely distinguishable from the blackish green background), dent in the chin and the collar, scratch (before the paint application?) across the upper lip.

verso: some woodworm damage visible, scratches, top left corner broken off, abrasion at the centre where the inscription is located

[Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz, revised 2018]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_RMK_M6/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Martin Luther, bust-length, facing right', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_RMK_M6/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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