The Virgin and Child with St. John as a boy

Titles

The Virgin and Child with St. John as a boy	[cda 2011]
The Virgin and Child with a Bunch of Grapes	[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 228E]
Die Mutter Gottes mit dem Kindlein Jesu	'Die Mutter Gottes mit dem Kindlein Jesu welcher ein anders Knäblein, so vermuthlich Johannes der Täuffer seyn soll, eine Weintraube reichet, ist ein alt Gemählte, über welchen 2 Engeln schweben, die die decke halten' [Inventar 1721, fol. 484, No. 17][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30, 214]
[Klein, Report 1992]

The Virgin is seated in front of a red velvet curtain held by two angels. Her head is inclined to the left and she smiles at the viewer; her long wavy hair cascades over her shoulders and down her back. The infant Christ stands supported by her on her lap. His torso echoes the inclination of the Virgin's head as well as following the direction of her gaze. Jesus takes one of the grapes offered to him by the infant St John, standing to his left in a fur robe. An expansive landscape is visible behind the curtain.

[Görres, cda 2016]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger	[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]
Lucas Cranach the Elder	'Cranach', Akte 8364 Schloßmuseum, published in the series: Kanter-Bücher über Lucas Cranach von Dr. v. Lorck [1] 'L. Cranach d. Aelt (...) Bez. mit dem Drachen 1538' [Aldenhoven 1890, No. 360][1] 'Cranach, Lucas Sunders' [Verzeichnis 1826, fol. 69, No. 134][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder	'Cranach-Schule' [Schneider 1868, Abt. V, No. 61][1] [1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

Production dates: 1534
1551

Production dates

1534	[dated]
1551	'1551' [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1983, No. E24, Plate 279]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 105.8 x 78.2 cm [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 105.8 x 78.2 cm [Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated '1534'; in yellow paint

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated '1534'; in yellow paint

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

CDA ID: DE_SMG_SG678
FR (1978) Nr.: FR228E
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG678/

Provenance

recorded in Gotha Castle since 1721
[Inventar 1721, fol. 484, No. 17][1] (changed to 18)

[1][Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1983
Gotha 1994

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Spira 2015

60-61

Fig. 12

Author	Benjamin D. Spira
Title	Lucas Cranach, der Maler Luthers. Der Hofmaler und der Reformator - Bindung, Bilder und Bedeutung
Publication	in Julia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha and Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, eds., Bild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel]
Place of Publication	Heidelberg
Year of Publication	2015
Pages	51-62

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994

30, 214

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

Show Literature

Klein 1994 B

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

Show Literature

Schade, Schuttwolf 1994

30, 44

1.12

Fig. p. 30, Pl. p. 44

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

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1983

E24

Fig. p. 279

Editor	Altes Museum, Berlin
Title	Kunst der Reformationzeit
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1983

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

116

No. 228E

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

Show Literature

Lilienfein 1942

Fig. 112

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

Show Literature

Zimmermann E. H. 1938

1-12

Author	Ernst Heinrich Zimmermann
Title	Lucas Cranach der Jüngere
Journal	Velhagen und Klasings Monatsheft
Issue	53
Year of Publication	1938
Pages	1-12

Show Literature

Parthey 1863-1864

684 (Bd. 1)

No. 106

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

Show Literature

The Virgin and Child with St. John as a boy, 1534

Images

Documents

DE_SMG_SG678_FR228E_1992_analysis-report-001.pdf

Technical studies

04. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dark medium, brush and dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- the underdrawing is barely visible

- occasional thin, traced lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process (hands of the Virgin)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger?

Comments:

- possibly transferred from a pre-existing design?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

2002Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

photographed by Asmus Steuerlein

14.05.1992Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

DE_SMG_SG678_FR228E_1992_analysis-report-001.pdf

Support

'Beech wood - earliest felling date: 1529'

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 214]

analysed by Peter Klein

1966Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

'The detail can be easily read from the lead white image. The flesh paint shows a degree of differentiation and volume is created with a lead white. Brushstrokes are not visible, except in the hair where they are very fine. The neckline of the Virgin's dark blue robe is underlayed with white paint. There is a fine netted craquellee which emphasizes the vertical axis in correspondance with the direction of the wood grain. The join between the two planks is clearly evident. Lots of paint loss, the largest between the head of the Virgin and that of Christ. The wood grain is not visible, the species is beech.'

Martin Meier-Siem, Hamburg 1966

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 1994, 30]

examined by Martin Meier-Siems

Conservation History

Date2002 - 2003

conservation treatment by Angela Möller
photographed by Asmus Steuerlein

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'The Virgin and Child with St. John as a boy', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG678/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'The Virgin and Child with St. John as a boy', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMG_SG678/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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