Elijah and Baal's priests

Elijah and Baal's priests

Title

Elijah and Baal's priests

[CDA 2011]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

To make the priests of Baal realize the error of their ways, the prophet Elijah challenged them to a display of divine power. The two groups each built an altar with animal sacrifices that could only be ignited by prayers to the God it had been built for. Although Elijah

To make the priests of Baal realize the error of their ways, the prophet Elijah challenged them to a display of divine power. The two groups each built an altar with animal sacrifices that could only be ignited by prayers to the God it had been built for. Although Elijah repeatedly ordered water to be poured over this altar, his prayer was answered and his offering burst into flames, while all the prayers, dances and self-castignation perfomred by the Priests of Baal proved in vain. Their altar and offerings remained unburnt. In the far background, the painter continues the Biblical tale depicted in the central scene in two further vignettes. Both feature the Prophet Elijah in a brown sheepskin, but they couldn't be more different in character.

To punish them for their idolatrous beliefs, Elijah brutally slaughtered the followers of Baal. Then he falls to his knees and prayed for rain to fall on the parched and famished land. Soon, his servant spotted a single cloud coming from the sea, which developed into a storm of heavy rain.

[Görres, cda 2016]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]
[Woermann, Cat. Dresden 1887, 616][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 239, 240, 244, Fn. 15]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Schäfer 1864][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 239]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Hübner, Cat. Dresden 1862, No. 1765][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 239, 244, Fn. 14]

Production date
1545

Production date

1545

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 127.4 x 242 x 0.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 127.4 x 242 x 0.5 cm

  • [Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia (on the altarpiece): winged serpent with dropped wings facing left and dated '1545'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia (on the altarpiece): winged serpent with dropped wings facing left and dated '1545'; in black paint

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel:
[Gal.-Nr.]; Sammlungsnachweis Pillnitz (repeated): 'Inv. 5'; in white chalk: '1000 [?]'

[Schlegel, Exhib. …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel:

  • [Gal.-Nr.]; Sammlungsnachweis Pillnitz (repeated): 'Inv. 5'; in white chalk: '1000 [?]'

  • [Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Owner
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Repository
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Location
Dresden
CDA ID
DE_SKD_GG1941
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKD_GG1941/

Provenance

  • on display in the catholic court church (Hofkirche)
    [Füssli 1806, 931][1]
    [1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 238, 244, Fn. 7]

  • first recorded in the collection in Dresden in an inventory, which was compiled before 1841
    [Inventar Vorrat 'vor 1841', Nr. 355][1]
    [1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 239, 244, Fn. 10]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1937, 17
Karlsruhe 1991, 259
Leipzig, 1997, 90, 91
Torgau 2004, Bd. 1, 27-32, Bd. 2, 179
Chemnitz 2005, No. 7

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Hoppe-Harnoncourt 2015 155, Fn. 4, 5
AuthorAlice Hoppe-Harnoncourt
TitleLucas Cranach der Jüngere? Überlegungen zu zwei datierten Werken aus dem Kunsthistorischen Museum in Wien
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages154-167
Show Literature
Meinel 2015 236-238, 242, 243 Fig. 1
AuthorFrank Meinel
TitleZur Rezeption der Rechtfertigungslehre bei Lucas Cranach dem Jüngerem. Versuch einer theologischen Deutung des Gemäldes 'Elias und die Baalspriester' von 1545
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages236-243
Show Literature
Pöpper 2015 299, 304-306 Fig. 4
AuthorThomas Pöpper
TitleCranachs Bildgegenstände oder 'size matters'. Zur Evidenz von Stitze, Schleifkanne, Schenkkrug und Spinnstab
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages298-307
Show Literature
Waterman 2015 283, 286, Fn. 33; 287
AuthorJoshua P. Waterman
TitleThe Artistic Emergence of Lucas Cranach the Younger
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages280-289
Show Literature
Werner 2015 14
AuthorElke Anna Werner
TitleLucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder. Zur Einführung
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages8-16
Show Literature
Krause 2013 179-189, 201, 204, 206 2, 6
AuthorHans-Joachim Krause
TitleCranachs Bildaustattung der Torgauer Schloßkapelle. Eine Rekonstruktion
JournalZeitschrift des deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft
Place of PublicationBerlin
IssueSonderdruck aus Band 65
Year of Publication2013
Pages177-214
Show Literature
Maaz 2010 70, 71
AuthorBernhard Maaz
TitleCranach in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden
Place of PublicationBerlin, Munich
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
CDA.Bloh 2005 177
AuthorJutta Charlotte von Bloh
TitleKleidung und Waffen in den Fürstenbildnissen der Cranachs
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages174-181
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005 236-245 7 Pl. pp. 236/237, Figs. 116, p. 245
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 C 529, 530, 547, 549, 550, 552, 555 7
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
Müller 2005
AuthorGottfried Müller
TitleZum Gemälde Lucas Cranachs des Jüngeren: Das Opfer des Elias auf dem Karmel. Eine kritische Stellungnahme zu den anläßlich der 2. Sächsischen Landesausstellung vom Jahre 2004 dargebotenen Interpretation
JournalMitteilungen des Landesvereins Sächsischer Heimatschutz e. V.
Issue2 (2005)
Year of Publication2005
Pages13-19
Show Literature
Schölzel 2005 192, 196 7
AuthorChristoph Schölzel
TitleZeichnungen unter der Farbschicht. Zu den Unterzeichnungen von Cranachs Gemälden in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister und in der Rüstkammer Dresden
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages182-197
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Torgau 2004 27-32 (Bd. 1), 179 (Bd. 2)
EditorHarald Marx, Eckhard Kluth, Cecilie Hollberg
TitleGlaube und Macht. Sachsen im Europa der Reformationszeit. 2. Sächsische Landesaussellung Schloss Hartenfels Torgau
Volume1-2
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication2004
Show Literature
Schulze 2004 59-65
AuthorIngrid Schulze
TitleLucas Cranach d. J. und die protestantische Bildkunst in Sachsen und Thüringen. Frömmigkeit, Theologie, Fürstenreformation
Place of PublicationBucha near Jena
Year of Publication2004
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Leipzig 1997 90, 91
AuthorHerwig Guratzsch, Gisela Goldberg
TitleVergessene altdeutsche Gemälde. 1815 auf dem Dachboden der Leipziger Nikolaikirche gefunden
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication1997
Show Literature
Schulze 1997 22
AuthorIngrid Schulze
TitleLichtmetaphorik und religiöse Sinngehalte in Gemälden Lucas Cranach des Jüngeren
JournalSachsen-Anhalt. Journal für Natur- und Heimatfreunde
Issue7
Year of Publication1997
Pages22-27
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Karlsruhe 1991 259
AuthorDieter Gleisberg
EditorStädtische Galerie im Prinz-Max-Palais, Karlsruhe
TitleKunstschätze aus Sachsen. Meisterwerke aus Leipziger Museen vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart, [Städtische Galerie im Prinz-Max-Palais, Karlsruhe]
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
Year of Publication1991
Show Literature
Findeisen, Magirius 1976 195
AuthorPeter Findeisen, Heinrich Magirius
TitleDie Denkmale der Stadt Torgau
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1976
Show Literature
Schade 1974 57, 89, 91
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Scheidig 1953 B 136-139
AuthorWalther Scheidig
TitleLucas Cranach Selbstbildnisse und die Cranach-Bildnisse
Publicationin Heinz Lüdecke, ed., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Der Künstler und seine Zeit
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1953
Pages128-139
Show Literature
Zimmermann E. H. 1947 52
AuthorErnst Heinrich Zimmermann
TitleÜber das Bildnis Lucas Cranachs des Älteren in den Uffizien zu Florenz
JournalZeitschrift für Kunstwissenschaft
Issue1
Year of Publication1947
Pages51-53
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1937 17
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
Cat. Dresden 1899 631
AuthorKarl Woermann
TitleKatalog der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Grosse Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
IssueFourth edition
Year of Publication1899
Link https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/91887/7
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1896 633
AuthorKarl Woermann
TitleKatalog der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Grosse Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1896
Link https://archive.org/details/katalogderknigli1896geml/page/n3/mode/2up
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1892 624, 625
AuthorKarl Woermann
TitleKatalog der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie zu Dresden. Grosse Ausgabe
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1892
Link https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/89419/7
Show Literature
Distel 1888 B Sp. 245
AuthorTheodor Distel
TitleBildwerke aus dem Nachlasse Katharina's Herzogin zu Sachsen
JournalKunstchronik
Issue23 (1888)
Year of Publication1888
PagesSp. 245, 246
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1887 615, 616
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 79, 350
AuthorMartin Bernhard Lindau
TitleLucas Cranach. Ein Lebensbild aus dem Zeitalter der Reformation
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1883
Show Literature
Schäfer 1864 243
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. 1765
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
Heller 1854 62, 63
AuthorJoseph Heller
TitleLucas Cranach's Leben und Werke
Place of PublicationNuremberg
Year of Publication1854
Link http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015062799757
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 A 176
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Erster Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd1
Show Literature
Heller 1821 189, 223
AuthorJoseph Heller
TitleVersuch über das Leben und die Werke Lucas Cranachs
Place of PublicationBamberg
Year of Publication1821
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/heller1821
Show Literature
Füssli 1806 453, 929-932
AuthorJohann Rudolf Füssli
TitleAllgemeines Künstlerlexikon
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationZurich
Year of Publication1806
Show Literature
  • Elijah and Baal's priests, 1545

Images

Compare images
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Documents

Technical studies

18.09.2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr
  • irr

Underdrawing

Results

Drawing material:

- fluid (brush?) or dry?

Technique:

- no underdrawing is visible, with the exception of the incised lines indicating the shafts of the lances in the background, which were drawn with the aid of a ruler; deviations and corrections – like in the nose of the man with the carafes on the left or the right hand block of the altar – appear to have been carried out during the painting process [1]

- further underdrawing visible in the face of the man (selfportrait) with a can at the left edge of the painting, the face was originally (in the underdrawing and possibly in the painted version) either further left or turned slightly, position of the right eye altered, beard and cap, there are further lines near the fire pit at the left of the image particularly the perspectival lines of the logs under the fire

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

[Böhme, Schölzel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2012]

  • photographed by Christoph Schölzel
  • photographed by Alexandra Böhme

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

No underdrawing is visible, with the exception of the incised lines indicating the shafts of the lances in the background, which were drawn with the aid of a ruler; deviations and corrections – like in the nose of the man with the carafes on the left or the right hand block of the altar – appear to have been carried out during the painting process.

Framing

New frame: an 18th century Dresden gallery frame, which has been reworked

[Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

2003Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • reverse

Support

- 0.5 cm thick (thinned)

- six, horizontally aligned boards

- marks from a toothed plane

[Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Condition Reports

Date2005

Support:

  • cradle consisting of twelve vertical and 13 horizontal members (pine wood)

  • numerous square gaps

  • woodworm damage (open channels)

Painted surface:

  • small retouches over the entire surface

  • abrasion and small paint loss along the edges of the prominent craquelée

  • retouching on the wooden inserts and along the joins, the sacrificial block and the bottom edge of the panel

  • even, slightly yellowed varnish

[Schlegel, Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Conservation History

Date18.01.2012 - 19.01.2012

see pdf

Date2004

  • in preparation for an exhibition (frame)

see pdf

Date1996

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

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

see also pdf

Date1891

[Sächs. HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 6, Bl. 18, 25, 27][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Date1889

[Sächs. HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 6, Bl. 18, 25, 27][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Date1877

[Sächs. HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 8 a, Bl. 167, Bd. 8 b, Bl. 82][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Date1861

[Sächs. HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 3, Bl. 113][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Date1860

[Sächs. HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 3, Bl. 98][1] [Schnorr von Carolsfeld-Tagebücher, in: Dresdener Geschichtsblätter 1903, No. 3, 182, 195][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 236]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
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Entry with no author
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