Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony

Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony

Titles

Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony

[cda 2011]

Deßen Frau Gemahlin in halber Leibes Statur

'Deßen Frau Gemahlin in halber Leibes Statur und altteutschen schwarzen Habit, mit Gold ausgezieret, an dem Hals Geschmeide die Worte zu lesen Alß in Ehren, in Ehren', [Inventar 1721, fol. 491, No. 56][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27]

Seiner Fürstl. Gnad. [Kurfürst Johann Friedrichs] Gemahlin, gebohrne Hertzogin zu Jülich, Cleve vndt Bergk

[Inventar 1644, fol. 28][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein, Report 2013]
[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27, 214]

Sibylle folds her arms demurely and the viewer is captivated by her graceful silhouette. The visible brushstrokes indicate that like in many of the portraits by Cranach the blue background was painted around the contours of the figure. [...] Her clothing exhibits the feature of an inscribed motto 'Alles in

Sibylle folds her arms demurely and the viewer is captivated by her graceful silhouette. The visible brushstrokes indicate that like in many of the portraits by Cranach the blue background was painted around the contours of the figure. [...] Her clothing exhibits the feature of an inscribed motto 'Alles in Ehren', which appears multiple times and evidently emphasizes sustainability through this repetition.

[Sebastian Dohe, in Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015, 258]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2015, No. 88] [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27]

Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

[cda 2018]

Production date
1535

Production date

1535

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 20.2 x 14 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 20.2 x 14 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27]

  • Dimensions of painted surface: 20.1 x 14 cm

  • [cda 2010]

  • Dimensions including frame: 23.5 x 17.5 x 1.4 cm

  • [cda 2010]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia in the bottom right corner: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left and dated '1535'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia in the bottom right corner: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left and dated '1535'; in black paint

Inscriptions and Labels

Motto:

  • embroidered on the collar: 'ALS.IN.ERN / EREN.ALS'

  • embroidered on the headscarf:
    'ALES . IN. E' Reverse of the panel:

  • centre:
    remains …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • Motto:

    • embroidered on the collar:

  • 'ALS.IN.ERN / EREN.ALS'

    • embroidered on the headscarf:

  • 'ALES . IN. E'

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - centre:

  • remains of a paper label: handwritten entry in pencil: 363; paper label: handwritten entry in brown ink '610'; handwritten in chalk: '72'

    • bottom, left:

  • printed yellow label: 'Schlossmuseum Gotha/Inv.-No.:/S.G.No.:/Alte No.:', handwritten entry in black ink: '53'; '72'; '363 Ahv.'; inscription in red ink: '[Zentr]al-museum/Gotha [...]'

  • Reverse of the frame:

    • bottom right:

  • paper label: handwritten in blue ink: '53/72'

Owner
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Repository
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Location
Gotha
CDA ID
DE_SMG_SG12
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG12/

Connected Works

Johann Friedrich I, the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony
  • Johann Friedrich I, the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony, 1535
  • DE_SMG_SG13
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha

Provenance

  • 1644 in 'Kaufhaus Gotha' [Inventar 1644, fol. 28][1]
  • recorded in the Gothaer Kunstkammer since 1721 [Inventar 1721, fol. 491, No. 56][1]

[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 27]

Exhibitions

Gotha 1994
Gotha 2001, No. 1.9
Gotha/Kassel 2015, No. 88

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015 258, 259 88 Pl. p. 259
EditorJulia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper
TitleBild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Gotha, Herzogliches Museum; Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe]
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2001 1.9
EditorGotha Kultur, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleErnst der Fromme (1601-1675), Bauherr und Sammler. Katalog zum 400. Geburtstag Herzog Ernsts I. von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication2001
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994 27
EditorStiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
TitleGotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Klein 1994 B 214
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleHolzartenbestimmung und dendrochronologische Analyse an Gemäldetafeln von Lucas Cranach d.Ä. und seiner Werkstatt
PublicationAllmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages210-219
Show Literature
Schade, Schuttwolf 1994 27, 41 1.9 fig. p. 27, Pl. p. 41
AuthorWerner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleMalerei und Plastik
Publicationin Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages15-94
Show Literature
Cat. Weimar 1992 31
AuthorHelga Hoffmann
EditorKunstsammlungen zu Weimar
TitleKunstsammlungen zu Weimar. Die deutschen Gemälde des XVI. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationFulda
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 79 271
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
Parthey 1863-1864 693 (Bd. 1) No. 253
AuthorGustav Parthey
TitleDeutscher Bildersaal. Verzeichnis der in Deutschland vorhandenen Oelbilder verstorbener Maler aller Schulen
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 C 65-66 310
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Zweiter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd2
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

It is questionable whether or not the portraits were created for a particular occasion: the date of creation '1535' located next to the signature is both the year of the birth and death of Johann Ernst, one of the pairs sons. In 1535 Johann Friedrich also acheived some success within the context of his strained relationship with the Habsburgs being officially granted electoral dignity by King Ferdinand on behalf of the emperor, and at the end of the year a federal convention took place for the Schmalkaldic League. There were therefore numerous official occasions for which such a double portrait may have been used and here as was frequently the case with Cranach portraits for the Ernestine court it is a variation of particular pictorial type. This is illustrated by the comparision with a double portrait in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen dated to 1533 and of an almost identical size, but exhibiting a slight variation in the attire and the position of the arms. The Gotha portraits were not subsequently used as a gift to a foreign party. It is more likely that they were used within the family to illustrate the dynastic descent as they can be traced back to the collection of Ernst the Pious of Saxony-Gotha and Altenburg, the greatgrandson of the sitters.

[Sebatian Dohe, in Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015, 258]

  • Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony, 1535

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • x_radiograph
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation

Documents

Technical studies

08.04.2013Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

- beech wood, no measurement possible

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 214]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

04. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry medium (dark chalk?)

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing in combination with traced lines (head)

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential facial features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process (hands)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- probably with reference to a preparatory drawing or transferred from a pre-existing design (traced)

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1995Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • created by Asmus Steuerlein

1994Technical Examination

  • reverse
  • overall
  • detail

Framing

- original frame

- frame with mitred joints; a Gothic cornice; water-guilding on red bole; external batten, sides and the reverse are painted black

  • written by Gunnar Heydenreich

Conservation History

Date1998 - 2000

  • conservation
  • conservation
  • conservation
  • written by Angela Möller

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG12/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG12/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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