Philipp Melanchthon

Philipp Melanchthon

Titles

Philipp Melanchthon

[CDA 2011]

Philippi Melachtonis Contrafait

[Inventar 1667-92, fol. 16 v][1] (one of two depictions of Melanchthon which are listed) [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Philippus Melanchton

presumably in: [Inventar 1644, fol. 30][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48, 214]
[Klein, Report 1992]

The prototype for this portrait of Melanchthon was Lucas Cranach the Younger's final portrait type of the Reformist, who died in 1560.

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Production date
after 1560

Production date

after 1560

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.5 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper left shoulder (only faintly visible): winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper left shoulder (only faintly visible): winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left; in black paint

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: - top right:
paper label with handwritten entry in brown ink: '654'

  • centre:
    printed paper label: …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - top right:

  • paper label with handwritten entry in brown ink: '654'

    • centre:

  • printed paper label: 'BIBLIOTHECA/DVC[?]ALIS/GOTHANA'; handwritten entry in pencil '340'

    • bottom right:

  • handwritten in red ink: 'Zentral-Gotha'

    • bottom left:

  • printed yellow label: 'Schloßmuseum Gotha/Inv.-Nr.:/S.G.Nr./Alte Nr.:'; handwritten entry in black ink '340 Inv.'

Owner
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Repository
Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Location
Gotha
CDA ID
DE_SMG_SG15a
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15a/

Provenance

  • 1644 presumably in the 'Kaufhaus Gotha [Inventar 1644, fol. 30][1]
  • recorded in Gotha Castle before 1691[Inventar 1667-92, fol. 16v][1]
  • [Inventar 1733, fol. 233, No. 54?][1]

[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 48]

Exhibitions

Weimar 1953, No. 52
Gotha 1994
Gotha 2001, No. 1.22

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Schuchardt 2004
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitleLuther seitenrichtig - Luther seitenverkehrt? Die Bildnisse im Leben und im Tod - Werkstattprinzip und Werkstattprivileg Cranachs und seiner Mitarbeiter
Volume2003
JournalWartburg-Jahrbuch
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2004
Pages9-30
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2001 1.22
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 48
EditorStiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
TitleGotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Schade, Schuttwolf 1994 47, 48 1.15 Fig. p. 47
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
Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953 No. 52
AuthorWalther Scheidig
EditorDeutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
TitleLucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of PublicationWeimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1871 156 51
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Dritter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1871
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1871bd3
Show Literature
  • Philipp Melanchthon, after 1560

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr

Documents

Technical studies

04. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry drawing material, dark chalk or traced lines?

Type/Ductus:

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

Comments:

- probably transferred from a pre-existing design (traced)

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

14.05.1992Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species:

'The panel consists of a single beech wood plank (20.0 x 14.3 cm). 22 annual rings were measured. Due to the small number of rings the wood could not be dated.'

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 214]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG15a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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