The Adoration of the Magi

Titles

The Adoration of the Magi	[CDA 2010]
Die Mutter Gottes mit dem Kindlein Jesu, welchem die Heil. Drey Könige oder Weysen aus MorgenLand Geschenke bringen.	"Die Mutter Gottes mit dem Kindlein Jesu, welchem die Heil. Drey Könige oder Weysen aus MorgenLand Geschenke bringen. Lucas Cranachs Arbeit", [Inventar 1721, fol. 483, No. 9][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
Die drei weißen aus Morgen land	[Nachlass-Inventar 1681, No. 4][1], 'In the picture chamber under the roof'[1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
Wie die Weyßen auß Morgenlandt zum Hern Christo kommen	[Inventar 1644, fol. 31][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
Eine Gemahlte Tafel [...] daran die Histori abconterfeit, wie die heilge drey Könige daß Kindlein Jhesu angebetet vndt dasselbe beschenkt haben	[Thüringisches Hauptstaatsarchiv Weimar, A 551, Inventar über die Hinterlassenschaft des Herzogs Friedrich Wilhelm][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]

Painting on fir

Medium

Painting on fir

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16, 214]
[Klein, Report 1994]

The Adoration of the Magi. The Virgin is wearing a red dress with a violet hem and a blue cloak with green lining and is seated beneath a thatched roof in front of an old wall behind which a tower is visible. She holds the infant who is standing on her knee. He takes a gold coin from the dish offered to him by the bearded old man kneeling before him who casts a reverential glance at the Virgin. He is wearing a damask gown with green sleeves and an ermine collar. Beside him kneels a man with blond curly hair wearing a purple coat with a fur collar and a gold chain, and holding an embossed cup. His fur hat and gold chain are on the ground in front of him. A Moor stands behind him in a red robe and a green coat with damask elements. He is holding a gold vessel. He has pearl earrings and his turban sits on the nape of his neck. In the background there is a rocky landscape with a castle and a town. Signed with the dragon (yellow, large)

[http://www.museen.thueringen.de/Objekt/DE-MUS-871312/lido/obj-13850673; accessed 20 Oct 2015] [Translation, cda 2015]

Attribution: Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, 168, No. 7]
[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
'Cranach Lucas Sunders'
[Inventar 1764, fol. 237, No. 9][1]
[Verzeichnis 1826, fol. 69, No. 134][1]
[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]

Production dates: about 1513 - 1516
about 1505

Production dates

about 1513 - 1516	[Schade, Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16] [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 261]
about 1505	'A lovely, fresh picture from the artist's youth', [Schneidler 1868, Abt. V, No. 32][1]; [ Aldenhoven 1890, No. 331][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
about 1512	'about 1512' [Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. 1974, 526, No. 373]
about 1514	[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, 168, No. 7]
about 1515	'Scheibler: about 1515, like the 'Marriage of Catharine' in Wörlitz, supported also by the rough shape of the serpent. It is a major work by Cranach from this period.' [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 122 x 73 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 122 x 73 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]
Dimensions including frame: 145.5 x 97 cm
[Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, revised 2011]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia bottom, centre: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left; in orange/yellow paint

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom, centre: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left; in orange/yellow paint

Owner: Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Repository: Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Location: Gotha

CDA ID: DE_SMG_SG677
FR (1978) Nr.: FR048
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG677/

Provenance

recorded in Gotha Castle since 1681
[Inventar 1681, No. 4][1]

[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2001, 1.2]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1899, No. 78
Dresden 1971, No. 107, Plate
Weimar 1972, No. 8
Basel 1974, No. 373, Fig. 282
Gotha 1994
Hamburg 2003, No. 7

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005

261

under No. 10.1

Fig. 121

Editor	Harald Marx, Karin Kolb, Ingrid Mössinger
Title	Cranach Anlässlich der Ausstellung Cranach vom 13. November 2005 bis 12. März 2006 in den Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz. Eine Ausstellung in Kooperation mit der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of Publication	Cologne
Year of Publication	2005

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Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003

45, 168

007

Pl. 7

Editor	Bucerius Kunst Forum, Werner Schade
Title	Lucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne [Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg]
Place of Publication	Ostfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication	2003

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Schade 2003

Fig. 15

Author	Werner Schade
Title	Bildhaftigkeit bei Cranach
Publication	in Heiz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach Glaube Mythologie und Maderne , Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of Publication	Ostfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication	2003
Pages	12-21

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Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2001

1.2

Editor	Gotha Kultur, Allmuth Schuttwolf
Title	Ernst der Fromme (1601-1675), Bauherr und Sammler. Katalog zum 400. Geburtstag Herzog Ernsts I. von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg
Place of Publication	Gotha
Year of Publication	2001

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Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994

Editor	Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha
Title	Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen
Place of Publication	Gotha
Year of Publication	1994

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Klein 1994 A

194

Author	Peter Klein
Title	Lucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publication	in Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	194-200

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Klein 1994 B

210, 214

Author	Peter Klein
Title	Holzartenbestimmung und dendrochronologische Analyse an Gemäldetafeln von Lucas Cranach d.Ä. und seiner Werkstatt
Publication	Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of Publication	Gotha
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	210-219

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Schade, Schuttwolf 1994

16-18, 33

1.1

Figs. p. 16, 17, Pl. p. 33

Author	Werner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
Title	Malerei und Plastik
Publication	in Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of Publication	Gotha
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	15-94

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

No. 48

Fig. 48

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

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Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

526-527

No. 373

Fig. 282

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

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Schade 1974

Fig. 92

Author	Werner Schade
Title	Die Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974

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Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1971

No. 107

Editor	Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Title	Deutsche Kunst der Dürerzeit
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1971

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Lilienfein 1942

Fig. 36

Author	Heinrich Lilienfein
Title	Lukas Cranach und seine Zeit
Place of Publication	Bielefeld
Year of Publication	1942

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Bockelberg 1941

119

Author	Otto Heinrich Bockelberg
Title	Das Morgenländische in der Anbetung der Könige
Publication	in Martin Luther-Universität, Halle-Wittenberg, Horst Keller, ed., Deutschland-Italien. Beiträge zu den Kulturbeziehungen zwischen Norden und Süden. Festschrift für Wilhelm Waetzoldt zu seinem 60. Geburtstage 21.2.1940
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1941
Pages	91-134

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

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Flechsig 1900 A

95-97

Figs. 18, 101, 278, 297

Author	Eduard Flechsig
Title	Cranachstudien
Volume	1
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1900
Link	page/n5/mode/2up

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Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899

No. 78

Editor	Karl Woermann
Title	Deutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1899
Link	http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000

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Parthey 1863-1864

681 (Bd. 1)

No. 45 (?)

Author	Gustav Parthey
Title	Deutscher Bildersaal. Verzeichnis der in Deutschland vorhandenen Oelbilder verstorbener Maler aller Schulen
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1864

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The Adoration of the Magi, about 1513 - 1516

Images

Documents

DE_SMG_SG677_FR048_1994_analysis-report-001.pdf

Technical studies

17.03.1994Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

DE_SMG_SG677_FR048_1994_analysis-report-001.pdf

Support

'The panel consists of six fir (Abies alba) planks. Planks I and VI and II and V are respectively from the same tree. (20.7 x 14.3 cm). The 58 (Plank I) and 57 (Plank VI) annual rings measured match the fir wood chronology of southern Germany between the years 1488 and 1431 and 1487 and 1431 respectively. The most recent annual ring dated is from the year 1488. Usually with fir wood the entire transverse section was used and only the bark was removed, therefore the earliest felling date is 1488. Considering a two year seasoning period the painting could have been created no earlier than 1490.'

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16, 214]

analysed by Peter Klein

1966Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

'The detail is clearly visible. The flesh paint contains a considerable amount of lead white, but does not dfferentiate in the modelling. The hair is painted with a very fine brush. The craquellee varies and is partially dictated by the grain of the wood. There is a large loss on the child's left temple which is partially punctuated with tiny islands of lead white. The vertical grain of the wood (fir) is clearly visible. The panel consists of more than one plank and has a cradle on the reverse, with vertical load bearing battens and horizontal removable ones.'

Martin Meier-Siem, Hamburg 1966

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 16]

examined by Martin Meier-Siems

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'The Adoration of the Magi', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG677/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'The Adoration of the Magi', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG677/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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