Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Title

Judith with the Head of Holofernes

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Painting on wood, transferred onto canvas

Medium

Painting on wood, transferred onto canvas

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Three-quarter length figure of a young courtly dressed woman behind a balustrade. She holds a sword in her right hand, and rests the left hand demonstratively on the decapitated head of Holofernes. The colours purple, olive green, pearl grey and golden brown dominate. Particularly delicate are the frills, the veil

Three-quarter length figure of a young courtly dressed woman behind a balustrade. She holds a sword in her right hand, and rests the left hand demonstratively on the decapitated head of Holofernes. The colours purple, olive green, pearl grey and golden brown dominate. Particularly delicate are the frills, the veil around her figure, the iris and the veins on her forehead.

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Production date
after 1537

Production date

after 1537

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 89.5 x 70 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 89.5 x 70 cm

  • [Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at bottom left: winged serpent (with dropped wings)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at bottom left: winged serpent (with dropped wings)

  • [Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Owner
Staatliches Museum Schwerin, Kunstsammlungen Schlösser, Gärten
Repository
Staatliches Museum Schwerin, Museum Schloss Güstrow
Location
Güstrow
CDA ID
DE_SMS_G201
FR (1978) Nr.
FR359B
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMS_G201/

Provenance

  • acquired between 1851 and 1863 by Herrn von Kamps
    [Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Schwerin 1990 21 012
AuthorKristina Hegner
TitleKunst der Renaissance
Place of PublicationSchwerin
Year of Publication1990
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 359B
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Bucarest 1973 B No. 97
EditorWerner Schade, Hans-Joachim Gronau
TitleLucas Cranach cel Batrîn (1472-1553) Lucas Cranach cel Tînar (1515-1586) Jocob Lucius cel Batrîn (1530-1597) ranach cel Tînar (1515-1586) Jocob Lucius cel Batrîn (1530-1597)
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B No. 68
EditorSchlossmuseum Weimar
TitleLucas Cranach 1472-1553. Ein großer Maler in bewegter Zeit
Place of PublicationWeimar
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953 70
AuthorWalther Scheidig
EditorDeutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
TitleLucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of PublicationWeimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 289b
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
Cat. Schwerin 1882 No. 163
AuthorFriedrich Schlie
TitleBeschriebendes Verzeichniss der Werke älterer Meister in Grossherzoglichen Gemälde-Gallerie zu Schwerin
Place of PublicationSchwerin
Year of Publication1882
Show Literature
Schlie 1882 23
AuthorFriedrich Schlie
TitleKurzes Verzeichniss der Bilder in der Grossherzoglichen Gemälde-Gallerie zu Schwerin
Place of PublicationSchwerin
Year of Publication1882
Show Literature
Schlie 1883 18
AuthorFriedrich Schlie
TitleKurzes Verzeichniss der Bilder in der Grossherzoglichen Gemälde-Gallerie zu Schwerin
Place of PublicationSchwerin
IssueSecond edition
Year of Publication1882
Show Literature
Prosch 1863 27 (III)
AuthorEduard Prosch
TitleCatalog und Inventarium der Grossherzoglichen Gemälde-Gallerie und der Grossherzoglichen Sammlung plastischer Kunstwerke in Schwerin
Year of Publication1863
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

[…] in addition the cool elegance and chosen three-quarter pose also suggest the author is Lucas Cranach the Younger. (Helga Hoffmann- Weimar - also attributed the painting to Cranach the Younger).

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

  • Judith with the Head of Holofernes, after 1537

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr
  • x_radiograph
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

07. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

- an underdrawing is not readily visible

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph

Condition Reports

Date1990

The painting was transferred to canvas before 1863. Bottom left punctured canvas repaired and retouched. Further small retouches.

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Conservation History

Date1978

Restored in 1908 and 1978.

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Date1908

Restored in 1908 and 1978.

[Cat. Schwerin 1990, 21]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Judith with the Head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMS_G201/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Judith with the Head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SMS_G201/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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