Venus

Venus

Title

Venus

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sylvatica)

Medium

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sylvatica)

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]
[Klein, Report 1994]

A young nude woman stands in a slightly contraposto pose within a semi-circular shaped area of sandy ground strewn with stones. She is set against a deep black completely unstructured background, similar to the neutral backdrops employed for portraits. Her supporting leg is straight, her left leg only minimally angled,

A young nude woman stands in a slightly contraposto pose within a semi-circular shaped area of sandy ground strewn with stones. She is set against a deep black completely unstructured background, similar to the neutral backdrops employed for portraits. Her supporting leg is straight, her left leg only minimally angled, her feet are slightly apart and are turned outwards. The weight of her body rests on the small of her back due to the slight turn of her rear end; her head, which is inclined to the right, is stretched forward. In comparison with the solid straight stance her figure describes an S-curve. The barely suggested curve in the central axis prepares for the graceful play of arms and hands either side. The nude beauty holds her arms at an angle and has raised the right one so that the hand grasping the veil is at the same height as her shoulders. Her left arm is only slightly angled and the hand is more obviously bent back, two fingers hold the veil. The gesticulation is motivated by this and as such does not appear too artificial: the central part of the veil falls like a festoon in soft curves between her hands, while the ends fall vertically down the sides. The sheer textile appears to be on the one hand almost transparent and does not conceal the woman's hips and vulva; on the other hand the raised part of the folds and the hem appear as delicate white high-lights, which describe calligraphic-like forms on the dark ground. The abundant jewellery and head attire of the woman is in certain contrast to the lack of any clothing. She wears a golden neck collar from which a multitude of pearl pendants hang, as well as a long golden chain, with a pendant set with an emerald and three pearls. Her voluminous hair is bound under a hairnet with lozenge-shaped gold threads; at the side the hair covered by the bonnet is combed behind her particularly large, but beautifully drawn ear. The beauty blinks from her angled almond shaped eyes at the viewer with a rather distant expression.

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]
[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, No. 64]

Production date
1532

Production date

1532

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 37.7 x 24.5 x 0.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 37.7 x 24.5 x 0.5 cm

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 37 x 2.8 cm

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia and date bottom right: winged serpent with elevated wings and '1532'.

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia and date bottom right: winged serpent with elevated wings and '1532'.

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel:

  • top third at the left: old label witha a blue plaited boarder, within this in ink: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel:

    • top third at the left: old label witha a blue plaited boarder, within this in ink: 'N. 66 Frankfurt a./M.'
    • centre:

  • adhesive label, in black ink: 'G.1125.'

    • below:

  • in pencil '88'

  • [Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Owner
Städel Museum Frankfurt a.M.
Repository
Städel Museum Frankfurt a.M.
Location
Frankfurt am Main
CDA ID
DE_SMF_1125
FR (1978) Nr.
FR246
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMF_1125/

Provenance

  • according to Gerhard Malß [the painting is] from the collection of Herrn von Schleinitz in Dresden
  • 1878 purchased as a gift from Moritz Gontard

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1899, No. 57
Hamburg 2003, No. 64
Frankfurt/London 2007/2008, No. 114
Rome 2010, No. 28

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Wismer 2017 85
AuthorBeat Wismer
TitleCranach und die Moderne. Anmerkungen zur Cranach-Rezeption in der Kunst seit der frühen Moderne
Publicationin Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Pages82-91
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2015 122 Fig. 4a
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleHans Cranach. Auf der Suche nach seinem verlorenen Oeuvre
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5415/6232/3883/Heydenreich_2015_-_Hans_Cranach.pdf
Pages116 -127
Show Literature
Aikema 2010 28
AuthorBernard Aikema
TitleCranach. A different Renaissance
Publicationin Anna Coliva, Bernhard Aikema, eds., Cranach l'altro rinascimento, a different Renaissance, Exhib.Cat. Rome
Place of PublicationRome
Year of Publication2010
Pages13-33
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Rome 2010 218 - 221 No. 28 Pl. p. 219, Pl. p. 221 (detail)
EditorGalleria Borghese, Rome, Anna Coliva, Bernard Aikema
TitleCranach. L'altro rinascimento / a different renaissance, [Rome, Galleria Borghese 15 ottobre 2010 - 13 febbraio 2011]
Place of PublicationMilan
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Hinz 2010 A 87
AuthorBerthold Hinz
TitleLucas Cranach/ Andrea del Brescianino: Venere tedesca vs. Venere italiana; Lucas Cranach / Andrea del Brescianino: a German Venus vs. an italian Venus
Publicationin Anna Coliva, Bernhard Aikema, eds., Cranach l'altro rinascimento, a different Renaissance, Exhib. Cat. Rome
Place of PublicationMilan
Year of Publication2010
Pages86 - 97
Show Literature
Hinz 2010 B 45
AuthorBerthold Hinz
TitleAktmalerei bei Cranach. Ein neuer Geschäftszweig
Publicationin Guido Messling, ed., Die Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys, Exhib. Cat. Brussels
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Pages42-53
Show Literature
Evans 2007 58, 59, 61 (fn. 104)
AuthorMark Evans
Title"Die Italiener, sonst so ruhmsüchtig, bieten Dir die Hand": Lucas Cranach und die Kunst des Humanismus
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Pages49-61
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007 355, 357 114 p. 357
EditorBodo Brinkmann
TitleCranach der Ältere, [Frankfurt, Städel Museum, 23 Nov 2007 - 17 Feb 2008]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Werner 2007 98-99, 107, 109 (fn. 39) 1
AuthorElke Anna Werner
TitleDie Schleier der Venus. Zu einer Metapher des Sehens bei Lucas Cranach d. Ä.
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Pages99-109
Show Literature
Cat. Frankfurt 2005 188-195
AuthorStephan Kemperdick, Bodo Brinkmann
EditorStädelsches Kunstinstitut
TitleDeutsche Gemälde im Städel 1500 - 1550
Place of PublicationMainz
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003 70, 179 064 Pl. 64
EditorBucerius Kunst Forum, Werner Schade
TitleLucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne [Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg]
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Show Literature
Spielmann 9, 10 Fig. 6
AuthorHeinz Spielmann
TitleCranach als Parameter
Publicationin Heiz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach Glaube Mythologie und Maderne , Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Pages6-11
Show Literature
Cat. Frankfurt 1999 29 pl. 19
AuthorBodo Brinkmann, Jochen Sander
TitleDeutsche Gemälde vor 1800 im Städel
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1999
Show Literature
Grewenig 1987 103
AuthorM. M. Grewenig
TitleDer Akt in der deutschen Renaissance. Die Einheit von Nacktheit und Leib in der bildenden Kunst. Wissenschaft und Forschung
Place of PublicationFreren
Year of Publication1987
Show Literature
Schenk zu Schweinsberg 1967
AuthorEberhard Schenk zu Schweinsberg
TitleCranachs Venus ­ zweimal gesehen
Publicationin Klaus Gallwitz, ed., Besuche im Städel. Betrachtungen zu Bildern
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1986
Pages56-60
Show Literature
Grisebach 1982 80-81
AuthorLothar Grisebach
TitleKirchner und Cranach
JournalZeitschrift des Deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft
Issue36
Year of Publication1982
Pages78-86
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 119-120 246
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 666
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
Schade 1974 49, 69
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Cuttler 1973 377
AuthorCharles D. Cuttler
TitleNorthern Painting from Pucelle to Bruegel
Place of PublicationNew York
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Talbot 1967 81
AuthorCharles Talbot
EditorNational Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C.
TitleAn Interpretation of Two Paintings by Cranach in the Artist's Late Style
JournalReport and Studies in the History of Art
Place of PublicationWashington
Year of Publication1967
Link http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015017526305;view=1up;seq=11
Pages67-88
Show Literature
Thöne 1965 6
AuthorFriedrich Thöne
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere
SeriesDie blauen Bücher
Place of PublicationKönigstein i. Taunus
Year of Publication1965
Show Literature
Ruhmer 1963 11, 90
AuthorEberhard Ruhmer
TitleCranach
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1963
Show Literature
Descargue 1959
AuthorPierre Descargues
TitleLucas Cranach le Vieux
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1959
Show Literature
Lüdecke 1953 B 55, 71
AuthorHeinz Lüdecke
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere. Der Künstler und seine Zeit
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Posse 1942 32, 61
AuthorHans Posse
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä.
Place of PublicationVienna
Year of Publication1942
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 67 204
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
Glaser 1923 232
AuthorCurt Glaser
TitleLukas Cranach
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1923
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glaser1923
Show Literature
Heyck 1908 111
AuthorEduard Heyck
TitleLukas Cranach
SeriesKünstlermonographien
Volume95
Place of PublicationBielefeld
Year of Publication1908
Link https://archive.org/details/lukascranach01heycgoog
Show Literature
Worringer 1908 53
AuthorWilhelm Worringer
TitleLukas Cranach
SeriesKlassische Illustratoren
Volume3
Place of PublicationLeipzig, Munich
Year of Publication1908
Show Literature
Cat. Frankfurt 1900 77-78 88
AuthorHeinrich von Weizsäcker
TitleCatalog der Gemälde-Gallerie des Städelschen Kunstinstituts in Frankfurt am Main
Place of PublicationFrankfurt
Year of Publication1900
Show Literature
Flechsig 1900 A 249, 274
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleCranachstudien
Volume1
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link page/n5/mode/2up
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1899 48 57
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
  • Venus, 1532

Images

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

Technical studies

09. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium; brush (?)

Type/Ductus:

- freehand schematic underdrawing (where visible)

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; the lines define the contours of the figures; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- almost no adjustments made during the painting process

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder or workshop

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

2005 - Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • reverse
  • detail
  • detail

Support

- a single plank with the grain running vertically

- thinned

- reverse top and bottom two notches each

- one notch on each side from a previous framing system

Underdrawing

The scant underdrawing is occasionally faintly visible with the naked eye under the slightly transparent flesh paint. The infrared reflectogram however does not reveal much more. This is due to the fact that the lines generally describe contours, which were followed precisely [in the subsequent painted version] and therefore are concealed beneath the transition between the flesh paint and the black background. Only on the left side of the figure, particularly on her back and thigh is a millimeter divergence beween the drawn and painted contour; therefore the underdrawing can be discerned. The same appears to be the case in the outline of the feet. Shadows are indicated on the back and the rear end with a few short hatching-strokes. The belly-button appears to have been indicated in the underdrawing with a circle. Contrary to the opinion of Werner Schade who presumed the drawing instrument to be a pen it appears to have been executed with a brush.

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the original painted edges have been preserved on all sides with a c. 0.5 margin of bare wood

Framing

modern

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

16.03.1994Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Dendrochronological analysis determined that the youngest annual ring was from 1529. As the entire transverse section (up to the bark) was employed and taking a seasoning period of three years into consideration it can be assumed that 1532 is the earliest possible date of creation for the painting.

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Condition Reports

Date2005

Very good. Minimal point retouches in the background on an old varnish, which was thinned on the figure leaving an uneven and streaky appearance.

[Cat. Frankfurt 2005, 188-195]

Versions

Venus
  • Venus, after 1950
  • PRIVATE_NONE-P155
  • Painting
  • Private Collection

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Venus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMF_1125/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Venus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMF_1125/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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