Lucretia

Lucretia

Title

Lucretia

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Painting on wood (lime or poplar)

Medium

Painting on wood (lime or poplar)

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude figure wearing an overcoat. Her head is tilted slightly to the right side of the painting and she gazes into the far distance. With her raised left arm she has placed her hand on her head and in her right hand

The painting depicts Lucretia as a half-length standing nude figure wearing an overcoat. Her head is tilted slightly to the right side of the painting and she gazes into the far distance. With her raised left arm she has placed her hand on her head and in her right hand she holds a short dagger pointed towards herself, slightly touching her right breast. Lucretia wears an embroidered red fur-trimmed overcoat over her shoulders and a transparent undergarment is visible beneath. Her blond hair is pinned up and covered with a thin veil. She wears numerous pieces of jewellery: a thin linked chain, a linked necklace with precious stones and a pendant, an armband and two rings. The background is dark.

[Herrschaft, cda 2012]

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Production date
about 1540

Production date

about 1540

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 69 x 49.9 x 1.1 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 69 x 49.9 x 1.1 cm

  • [Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the left edge, centre: serpent (with dropped wings)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the left edge, centre: serpent (with dropped wings)

Owner
Private Collection
Repository
Schloss Gottorf, Landesmuseum für Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte, Schleswig
Location
Schleswig
CDA ID
DE_SHLM_1998-12
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SHLM_1998-12/

Provenance

  • about 1972 in a private collection, France (?)
    [handwritten on the reverse of a photograph, Koepplin Archive]
  • since 1996/97 on loan to the Museum in Schleswig
    [Exhib. Cat. Schleswig 2005, 124, no. 13]

Exhibitions

Schleswig 2005, no. 13

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Schleswig 2005 123f. No. 13
EditorHerwig Guratzsch, Claus von Carnap-Bornheim
TitleWege ins Jenseits. Mit Walküren zu Odin, mit Engeln zu Gott, [Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig]
Place of PublicationNeumünster
Year of Publication2005

Research History / Discussion

This panel depicts one of the five different representation of Lucretia, that were produced c. 1540/45 and tend to be attributed to Lucas Cranach the Younger. All of the paintings show Lucretia as a half-length figure wearing a fur-trimmed coat with her left arm raised to her head.

This pictorial type was also employed in earlier depictions of Lucretia attributed to Lucas Cranach the Elder.

[Herrschaft, cda 2012]

  • Lucretia, about 1540

Images

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

Technical studies

08. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

- an underdrawing is not readily visible; there are occasional delicate, fine lines executed in a dry drawing material (e. g. belly button)

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Condition Reports

Date2013

The wooden support exhibits a vertical warp (max 2.6 cm); narrow battens have been attached either side, increasing the width of the panel by 2.4 cm.

[Schloss Gottorf, revised 2013]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SHLM_1998-12/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SHLM_1998-12/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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