The Death of the Virgin

The Death of the Virgin

Drawing on laid paper

Medium

Drawing on laid paper
pen and brown to brown-black ink over vertical and horizontal central axes executed with a dry, black drawing material

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

See German version

[cda 2026]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[(?), Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]; [Hofbauer 2010, 136, no. 34]; [Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976, 539, no. 394]; [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973, 40, no. 38]; [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 166]; [Bock, Cat. Berln 1921, 19, no. 4182]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

['Schülerarbeit', Girshausen 1936, no. 98]

unknown

['Nähe zu Cranach sehr fühlbar', (very close to Cranach), Rosenberg 1960, 37, no. A15]

Dating
about 1510 - 1520
1515 - 1520

Dating

about 1510 - 1520

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

about 1510 - 1515

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976, 539, no. 394]

1515 - 1520

[Hofbauer 2010, 136, no. 34]

Dimensions
Sheet: 214 x 159 mm

Dimensions

  • Sheet: 214 x 159 mm

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

Signature / Dating

none

Labels

Recto, bottom right, pen and black ink, monogram, unidentified; bottom left, pen and brown ink: Dürer monogram 'AD' (not …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Recto, bottom right, pen and black ink, monogram, unidentified; bottom left, pen and brown ink: Dürer monogram 'AD' (not genuine)

  • Verso, centre, collection stamp in brown ink, additional numers in pen and black ink: Königliches Kupferstichkabinett [Lugt 1610] '|| 43 || 1900'; bottom left, above the collector's mark, Lugt 1687, black pen (?): 'quelle p [...]'; bottom left, collector's mark in black ink, x's in black pen (?): Karl Eduard von Liphart [Lugt 1687] 'xxx' ; bottom right, collector's mark in purple ink: Reinhold von Liphart [Lugt 1758]; bottom left, beside the collector's mark Lugt 1758, pen and black ink: 'No, 3.'; bottom centre, pencil: 'Lucas Kranach 578. [?] || aug. Erfa[...]'; bottom centre: 'Boerner 25.'

  • [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_KdZ4182
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4182/

Provenance

- in the collection of Karl Eduard von Liphart (1808-1891), Germany, Dorpat, Bonn and Florence
- acquired by the museum in 1900
[Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz 2026]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, no. 166
Berlin 1973, no. 38
Basel 1974, no. 394

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Hofbauer 2010 136, 137
AuthorMichael Hofbauer
TitleCranach - die Zeichnungen
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 539
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973 40
AuthorWilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
TitleLucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Jahn, Bernhard 1972 190
AuthorJohannes Jahn
EditorMarianne Bernhard
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere: 1472 - 1553. Das gesamte graphische Werk. Mit Exempeln aus dem graphischen Werk Lucas Cranach des Jüngeren und der Cranachwerkstatt
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Benesch 1963
AuthorOtto Benesch
Title[Cranach]
Publicationin Ira Moskowitz, ed., Kindlers Meisterzeichnungen aller Epochen, Deutsche Zeichnungen, flämische und holländische Zeichnungen
Place of PublicationZürich
Year of Publication1963
Show Literature
Rosenberg 1960 37
AuthorJakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Zeichnungen Lucas Cranachs d.Ä.
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1960
Link https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42777
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Girshausen 1936 83
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 19
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

Research History / Discussion

See also [SMB online, accessed 20.11.2025]

See also: [Hamburger Kunsthalle], German school, anonymous 16th century, Inv. no. 1975-46.

[PRIVATE_NONE-p233], dated about 1518 by Rosenberg and 1520-25 by Koepplin.

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

  • The Death of the Virgin, about 1510 - 1520

Images

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License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Technical studies

2026Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Examination of paper / structural analysis
  • Infrared reflectography
  • UV-light photography
  • Instrumental material analysis
  • Stereomicroscopy

Support

Paper type: laid

Chain lines, orientation to image: horizontal

Chain lines (intervals): [.]-20-22-21-21-20-22-21-22-22-[.] mm

Laid lines (density): 14/10 mm

Mould side: felt side

Formation: uniform distribution of fibres

Paper defects: knots

Shadow lines: present

Mould defects: none

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

Process, Medium

XRF analysis detected calcium, iron, and copper in the pen and brown-to-black ink lines (M1). While the calcium and a portion of the iron originate from the paper substrate (M2), the remaining iron and copper correspond to iron gall ink. As a result, the ink is predominantly transparent in the infrared reflectogram (IRR). Nevertheless, a faint line appears in areas of heavy application where the ink is brownish-black, indicating the presence of a small amount of carbon. This carbon-based pigment likely settled at the bottom of the inkwell, transferring to the paper only when the pen was deeply dipped into the reservoir.

Infrared reflectography reveals a vertical and horizontal central axis drawn in black ink (see KdZ 4262).

The Dürer monogram at the bottom left was apparently added in pure iron gall ink and is transparent in the IRR. In fact, it even appears slightly lighter, either due to a loss of adhesion or the deliberate removal of the ink. The carbon-based surface dirt also appears thinner in this area

[Georg Josef Dietz, drawing on results from infrared reflectography and analytical evaluations by Gunnar Heydenreich and Sarah Critchley, as well as a joint study with Mailena Mallach, Luise Maul and Dominika Ropers (née Wojciechowska), March 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 Black: Ca, Fe, (Cu)

Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Fe: iron oxide (?); Fe/Cu: iron gall ink

M2 Paper: Ca, Fe

Ca: chalk/gypsum (?); Fe: iron oxide (?)

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

  • examined by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • examined by Sarah Critchley

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Death of the Virgin', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4182/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Death of the Virgin', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMBKSK_KdZ4182/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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