Christ blessing the Children

Christ blessing the Children

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]
[Klein, Report 2003]

A multitude of heads and bodies fills the rectangular format of this painting. Christ stands on the left side of the image wearing a long blue robe and encircled by a throng of mothers with their children. Jesus places his hand on the chest of a small child who is

A multitude of heads and bodies fills the rectangular format of this painting. Christ stands on the left side of the image wearing a long blue robe and encircled by a throng of mothers with their children. Jesus places his hand on the chest of a small child who is held by his mother while with the fingers of his right hand he makes a gesture of blessing. With childlike naivity the infant appears to reach towards Christ¿s fingers. A woman with a white bonnet stands with her offsprings ready to receive the blessing next. A third queues with her sleeping child and is only half visible. Christ is also thronged from the side. A youthful looking woman in a red velvet shimmering dress approaches him from the left and pulls on the wide sleeve of his robe. Further mothers in part only indicated by bonnets press in on Christ from behind. In the foreground the circle of figures around Christ is closed by the rear view of a mother. She holds an infant on her left arm and bending backwards she tries to pull her little daughter closer to Christ. Under her right arm a somewhat older boy is visible and she appears to have been successful with him. The crowded space continues on the right of the painting where a group of apostles is shown. St Peter dressed in blue points in Christ¿s direction and turns his bald head in conversation to the right. He appears to be discussing with St Paul who is seen in profile at the right edge of the painting. The faces and heads of the remaining disciples are visible behind the two figures in conversation. At the top edge of the painting are the words from the bible: "Und sie brachten Kinlein zu im das er sie anruerete" and the corresponding citation from the Gospel of St Mark.

[Görres, in Bonnet, Kopp-Schmitt, Görres 2010, 184]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 517][1]
[Kibish 1955, 197][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 307, 311]

Lucas Cranach the Elder (and workshop)

'Bilder aus der Werkstatt des älteren Kranach, teilweise eigenhändig'
[Woermann, Cat. Chemnitz 1887, 610][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 307, 311]

Production date
1538

Production date

1538

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 85.5 x 120 x 1.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 85.5 x 120 x 1.5 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia top right: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left and dated '1538'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia top right: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left and dated '1538'

Inscriptions and Labels
  • top: 'VND SIE BRACHTEN KINLEIN ZV IM DAS ER SIE ANRVRETE. MARCVS AM X' Reverse of the panel:

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • top:

  • 'VND SIE BRACHTEN KINLEIN ZV IM DAS ER SIE ANRVRETE. MARCVS AM X'

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel:

  • [Gal.-Nr. repeatedly]; in white chalk: 'No. 4 [?] 2.6, L.[...]ee'; in blue chalk on canvas: '-18'

  • [Schlegel 2003, 79][1]

  • [1][Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Owner
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Repository
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Location
Dresden
CDA ID
DE_SKD_GG1924
FR (1978) Nr.
FR362A
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKD_GG1924/

Provenance

1677 entered the Kunstkammer, after 1741 [the painting was] taken from the Kunstkammer to the gallery

[Hoffmann, Cat. Weimar 1992, 64]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1937, 15
Weimar 1972, No. 70
Chemnitz 2005, No. 17

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Bonnet, Görres 2015 72-73 25 p. 73
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Daniel Görres
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. - Maler der Deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Kolb 2015 A 209, Fn. 17; 210, Fn. 18, 19, 20; 211 Fig. 2
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleZuschreibung im Cranach-Oeuvre. Neue Überlegungen zu einem alten Problem
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages206-215
Show Literature
Bonnet, Kopp-Schmidt, Görres 2010 184-185 25
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Gabriele Kopp-Schmidt, Daniel Görres
TitleDie Malerei der deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Maaz 2010 62, 63
AuthorBernhard Maaz
TitleCranach in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden
Place of PublicationBerlin, Munich
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005 302, 303, 306-311, 494 17 Pl. p. 302/303
EditorHarald Marx, Karin Kolb, Ingrid Mössinger
TitleCranach Anlässlich der Ausstellung Cranach vom 13. November 2005 bis 12. März 2006 in den Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz. Eine Ausstellung in Kooperation mit der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Kolb 2005 A 153, 154, 173 Fn. 259 17
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleCranach - Die Gemälde in Dresden und ihre Geschichte
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages112-173
Show Literature
Kolb 2005 C 531, 546-548, 550-552, 554, 555, 557, 559, 560 17
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleDokumentation zum Dresdener Cranach-Bestand
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages526-572
Show Literature
Kolb 2003 A 71-73
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleCranach als Reformationsmaler? Beobachtungen zu Cranach-Gemälden in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden
JournalDresdner Hefte
Issue21/73
Year of Publication2003
Pages69-77
Show Literature
Schlegel 2003 79-82
AuthorArmgard Schlegel
TitleTechnologische Untersuchungen an Holzbildträgern von Gemälden der Cranachwerkstatt in den Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationDresden
IssueSeminararbeit der Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden
Year of Publication2003
Show Literature
Cat. Weimar 1992 64, 65 No. 21
AuthorHelga Hoffmann
EditorKunstsammlungen zu Weimar
TitleKunstsammlungen zu Weimar. Die deutschen Gemälde des XVI. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationFulda
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Andersson 1981 54, 55 Fig. 16
AuthorChristiane D. Anderson
TitleReligiöse Bilder Cranachs im Dienste der Reformation
Publicationin L.W. Spitz, ed., Humanismus und Reformation als kulturelle Kräfte in der Deutschen Geschichte
Place of PublicationBerlin, New York
Year of Publication1981
Pages43-76
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 142 No. 362A
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B No. 70
EditorSchlossmuseum Weimar
TitleLucas Cranach 1472-1553. Ein großer Maler in bewegter Zeit
Place of PublicationWeimar
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Hintzenstern 1972 85
AuthorHerbert von Hintzenstern
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. Altarbilder aus der Reformationszeit
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Kibish 1955 198
AuthorChristine O. Kibish
TitleLucas Cranach's Christ Blessing the Children. A Problem of Lutheran Iconography
JournalThe Art Bulletin
Issue37 (1955)
Year of Publication1955
Pages196-203
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1937 15
Authorn. a.
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere und der Jüngere. Ausstellung von Werken aus dem Besitze der Staatlichen Gemäldegalerie und dem Staatlichen Kupferstichkabinet
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 291a
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
Cat. Dresden 1930 A 64
AuthorHans Posse
TitleDie Staatliche Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Herausgegeben im Auftrage des Ministeriums für Volksbildung. Katalog der alten Meister. Kleine Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1930
Show Literature
Glaser 1923 234
AuthorCurt Glaser
TitleLukas Cranach
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1923
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glaser1923
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1908 204
AuthorKarl Woermann
TitleKatalog der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Kleine Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1908
Link https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_LilBAAAAYAAJ/page/n1/mode/2up
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1887 610
AuthorKarl Woermann
TitleKatalog der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Grosse Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1887
Link https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/89861/5
Show Literature
Lindau 1883 240, 241, 283, 304
AuthorMartin Bernhard Lindau
TitleLucas Cranach. Ein Lebensbild aus dem Zeitalter der Reformation
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1883
Show Literature
Schäfer 1864 172
AuthorWilhelm Schäfer
TitleFührer in der Königlichen Gemälde-Gallerie zu Dresden. Erläuterungen und Andeutungen zum Verständnisse sowie zur Würdigung sämmtlicher Gemälde der Galerie. nach der Ordnung der Räume nebst Register der laufenden Nummern
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1862 No. 1745
AuthorJulius Hübner
TitleVerzeichniss der Königlichen Gemälde-Gallerie zu Dresden. Mit einer historischen Einleitung. Notizen über die Erwerbung und Angaben der Bezeichnung der einzelnen Bilder
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1862
Show Literature
Schäfer 1860 1406, 1407
AuthorWilhelm Schäfer
TitleDie Königliche Gemälde-Gallerie im Neuen Museum zu Dresden. Beschreibung und Erläuterung sämmtlicher Gemälde nach der Ordnung der Räume begleitet von kunsgeschichtlichen und kritischen Erinnerungen
Volume1 - 3
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1860
Show Literature
  • Christ blessing the Children, 1538

Images

Compare images
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  • reverse
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Documents

Technical studies

19.09.2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr
  • irr

Underdrawing

Results

Drawing material:

- fluid (brush?)

Technique:

- visible lines are to be interpreted as painted contours rather than underdrawing [1]

- an underdrawing is visble where the position of the right eye of the central figure in the group of men has been changed, in the double lines on the chin and ear of the child in its mother's arms on the far left?, forehaed of the second mother figure to the left of Christ

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

[Böhme, Schölzel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2012]

  • photographed by Alexandra Böhme
  • photographed by Christoph Schölzel

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

Visible lines are to be interpreted as painted contours rather than underdrawing

[Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Framing

- new frame: gilded frame in the style of the Dresden gallery frames from the 18th and 19th centuries

[Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

2005 - Scientific analysis

  • Dendrochronology

Support

The wood of the beech wood panel originally comes from the same tree as that used for the panels depicting Margaret of Ponickau, 1536, [Lucas Cranach the Elder (workshop) Meister Zc, 54 x 34 cm, beech wood, DE_SKDGG1922A] and Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon (both in private collections, Hamburg). The most recent annual ring recorded for the latter can be dated to 1532, which is the tree's earliest felling date. Therefore all associated panels could only have been painted after 1533. The dating of the Dresden panels to 1536 (Margaret of Ponickau ) and 1538 (Christ blessing the Children) illustrates, that in the Cranach workshop planks, which came from the same tree were often used over a period of years.

[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 311, Fn. 19]

  • examined by Peter Klein

31.10.2003Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Youngest annual ring: 1531

[Klein Report, 31.10.2003]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

2003Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • detail
  • detail
  • reverse

Support

- beech wood

- 1.5 cm thick

- original surface on the reverse of the panel

- five horizontal planks

- plane marks

- rebate running around the edge

- joins reinforced with tow and then covered with strips of cloth

[Schlegel 2003, 79-82][1]

[1][Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Condition Reports

Date2005

  • retouching at the top of the joins and partially in the areas of extensive craquelée, that exhibit paint loss

  • yellowed, old varnish

[Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Date10. 1955

see pdf

Conservation History

Date2005

  • in preparation for an exhibition in Chemnitz (frame)

see pdf

Date1970

[GGAM, Abt. Restaurierung, Meldung][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

see also pdf

Date1904

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, diary entry

[Dresdener-Geschichtsblätter 1904, No. 4, 202][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Date1898

[Sächs, HstADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 6, Bl. 134, 136, 140][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Date1861

[Sächs, HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 3, Bl. 102/103][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 303]

Support made from the same tree

Allegory of Law and Grace
  • Allegory of Law and Grace, about 1535 - 1540
  • DE_KSW_G12a
  • Painting
  • Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Museums
Margarethe of Ponickau
  • Margarethe of Ponickau, 1536
  • DE_SKD_GG1922A
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
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Entry with no author
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