Portrait of a bearded man

Portrait of a bearded man

Painting on laid paper

Medium

Painting on laid paper
prepared with oil, oil painting over a drawing with a dry, black material
Verso, pen and black ink (male head in profile)

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

The sitter is shown without hands in three-quarter profile, a close up bust representation.

[Buck 2015, 145]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026] [Buck 2015, 145] [Hofbauer 2010, 456, no. 228] [Schade 1974, pl. 223] [Rosenberg 1960, 33, no. 92] [Zimmermann 1942]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Girshausen 1937, 58, no. 85] [Rosenberg 1934] [Bock, Cat. Berlin 1921, 20, no. 2378]

Hans Holbein the Younger

[Woltmann 1876, 119, 120, no. 122]

Dating
about 1540 - 1550
about 1530 - 1540

Dating

about 1540 - 1550

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

about 1530 - 1540

[Girshausen 1937, 58, No. 85]

about 1540 - 1545

[Rosenberg 1960, 33, No. 92]

about 1550

[Schade 1974, Pl. 223]

Dimensions
Sheet: 253 x 177 mm

Dimensions

  • Sheet: 253 x 177 mm

  • [Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

Signature / Dating

None

Labels

Verso, centre, collection stamp in brown ink: Königliches Kupferstichkabinett [Lugt 1609]; centre, beneath the collection stamp, …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Verso, centre, collection stamp in brown ink: Königliches Kupferstichkabinett [Lugt 1609]; centre, beneath the collection stamp, brush and (iron gall ink): '44'

  • [Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

Owner
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Repository
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Location
Berlin
CDA ID
DE_SMBKSK_KdZ2378
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ2378/

Provenance

Le Roy Ladurie and Suermondt collection, acquired in 1874
[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, no. 208
Berlin 1973, no. 55

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Güstrow 2017 58 85
EditorTobias Pfeifer-Helke, Dirk Blübaum
TitleDie Cranachs. Die Werke des Staatlichen Museums Schwein
Place of PublicationBerlin, Munich
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Buck 2015 144-147 Fig. 1
AuthorStephanie Buck
TitleAuf Papier. Zu Cranachs Bildnisstudien
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages142-153
Show Literature
Hofbauer 2010 456 228
AuthorMichael Hofbauer
TitleCranach - die Zeichnungen
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Schade 1974 Fig. 223
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973 48, 49 55 Fig. 30
AuthorWilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
TitleLucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1967 B 69
AuthorFedja Anzelewsky
TitleDürer und seine Zeit, Meisterzeichnungen aus dem Berliner Kupferstichkbinett [Berlin-Dahlem]
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1967
Show Literature
Rosenberg 1960 33 92
AuthorJakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Zeichnungen Lucas Cranachs d.Ä.
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1960
Link https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42777
Show Literature
Zimmermann E. H. 1942 A
AuthorErnst Heinrich Zimmermann
TitleEin Bildnisentwurf Lucas Cranachs d. J.
JournalBerliner Museen
Issue63 (1942)
Year of Publication1942
Pages2-4
Show Literature
Girshausen 1936
AuthorTheo Ludwig Girshausen
TitleDie Handzeichnungen Lukas Cranachs des Älteren
Place of PublicationFrankfurt/Main
Year of Publication1936
Link https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23708
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1921 20 2378 Vol. II, pl. 26
AuthorElfried Bock
TitleDie Zeichnungen alter Meister im Kupferstichkabinett. Die deutschen Meister. Beschreibendes Verzeichnis sämtlicher Zeichnungen, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1921
Link https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/bock1921ga
Show Literature
  • Portrait of a bearded man, about 1540 - 1550

Images

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License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Technical studies

2026Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Examination of paper / structural analysis

Support

Paper type: laid

Chain lines, orientation to image: vertical

Chain lines (intervals): [.]-27-27-26-26-26-25-[.] mm

Laid lines (density): 10/10 mm

Mould side: -

Formation: uniform distribution of fibres

Paper defects: knots, slivers

Shadow lines: present

Mould defects: repairs to the chain lines

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

Process, Medium

See German version

[cda 2026]

2026Technical Examination

  • Watermark

Watermark: absent

[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

25.07.2025Scientific analysis

  • Instrumental material analysis

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) (Thermo Scientific - Niton XL3t GOLDD+)

The following elements were detected using XRF and in conjunction with their optical characteristics the following fillers, drawing media and colourants could be identified:

M1 Background: Ca, Pb, Fe

Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Pb: lead white/red lead (?); Fe: iron oxide (?)

M2 Pink (flesh paint): Pb, Ca, Hg, Fe

Pb: lead white; Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Hg: vermillion; Fe: iron oxide (?)

M3 White (eye): Pb, Ca, Hg, Fe

Pb: lead white; Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Hg: vermillion; Fe: iron oxide (?)

M4 Grey? (eye): Pb, Ca, Hg, Fe

Pb: lead white; Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Hg: vermillion; Fe: iron oxide (?)

M5 Brown (hair): Ca, Pb, Fe, Hg

Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Pb: lead white/red lead (?); Fe: iron oxide (?); Hg: vermillion

[Gunnar Heydenreich, Sarah Critchley, unpublished analysis report, 25.07.2025]

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • examined by Sarah Critchley

Condition Reports

Date2015

The paper support was cropped at the edges, but not so significantly that an original 'Mise en page' can be assumed. The reverse of the sheet is for the most part blank excepting isolated paint splashes and an incidental sketch of a head penned with a quill with exaggerated lines. The paper is brown in colour, but neither a wash application of water colours nor a toned sheet of paper can be confirmed. It is more likely that the sheet was rubbed with oil before it was used. The binding medium has only penetrated through to the reverse of the sheet in the area of the head, suggesting that the sheet was not completely immersed in oil.

[Buck 2015, 145]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of a bearded man', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ2378/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of a bearded man', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ2378/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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