Christ crowned with Thorns

Christ crowned with Thorns

Title

Christ crowned with Thorns

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 372]

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

Medium

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

[Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, Berlin - Brandenburg, revised 2011]

The depiction of the crowning of thorns is characterized by the antagonism between the suffering Christ, who is presented looking at the viewer, in an almost statuesque stillness and the dramatic movement and gestures of the henchmen. A man dressed in a long fur-lined velvet robe mocks Christ with grimaces.

The depiction of the crowning of thorns is characterized by the antagonism between the suffering Christ, who is presented looking at the viewer, in an almost statuesque stillness and the dramatic movement and gestures of the henchmen. A man dressed in a long fur-lined velvet robe mocks Christ with grimaces. Pilate stands in the company of soldiers on a gallery, which divides the composition into two levels.

[see Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 215-216, No. IV.17]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, Berlin - Brandenburg, revised 2011]

Production date
1537

Production date

1537

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 152.6 x 113.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 152.6 x 113.5 cm

  • [Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, Berlin - Brandenburg, revised 2011]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia in the middle of the lower edge: winged serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1537'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia in the middle of the lower edge: winged serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1537'

Owner
Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Repository
Grunewald hunting lodge
Location
Grunewald
CDA ID
DE_SPSG_GKI1194
FR (1978) Nr.
FR372
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SPSG_GKI1194/

Connected Works

The Washing of the Feet
  • The Washing of the Feet, 153[7]
  • DE_smbGG_579
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Agony in the Garden
  • The Agony in the Garden, about 1537
  • DE_smbGG_580
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Entombment
  • The Entombment, 1538
  • DE_smbGG_581
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Christ carrying the Cross
  • Christ carrying the Cross, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1190
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
The Resurrection
  • The Resurrection, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1189
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Ecce Homo
  • Ecce Homo, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1193
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ in Limbo
  • Christ in Limbo, 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2271
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
The Scourging of Christ
  • The Scourging of Christ, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2270
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg

Provenance

  • from the old Domkirche (Cathedral) Berlin
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 145, No. 373]

  • probably taken from the Domkirche (Cathedral) in the 17th century and placed in the Erasmuskapelle (Erasmus Chapel) of the Berliner Schloss (Berlin Palace); eight Passion paintings are listed in the Berlier Schloss inventory from 1700
    [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, Nos. IV.14-22]

Exhibitions

Berlin 2009/10, No. IV.17

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 133, 136, Fn. 61 Fig. 4b
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009 A 215-216 No. IV.17 Fig. IV.17
EditorStiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
TitleCranach und die Kunst der Renaissance unter den Hohenzollern. Kirche, Hof und Stadtkultur
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2009
Show Literature
Most, Wolf et al. 2009 88, 93
AuthorMechthild Most, Anja Wolf, Peter Klein, Undine Köhler, Jens Bartoll, Eva Wenders de Calisse
TitleZur Maltechnik der beiden Cranach und ihrer Werkstatt. Ergebnisse der technologischen Untersuchung der Bildtafeln der Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten
Publicationin Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg, Evangelische Kirchengemeinde St. Petri-St. Marien, eds., Cranach und die Kunst der Renaissance unter den Hohenzollern, Exhib. Cat. Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2009
Pages86-97
Show Literature
Tacke 2007 C 81, 82, 84
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleMit Cranachs Hilfe: Antireformatorische Kunstwerke vor dem Tridentiner Konzil
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, [Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt am Main]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2012/2000
Pages81-89
Show Literature
Erichsen 1994 A 157, 158
AuthorJohannes Erichsen
TitleAltäre Lucas Cranachs und seiner Werkstatt vor der Reformation
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhof, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmen aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26/94
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages150-165
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 144 No. 372 Fig. 372
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 297
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

Research History / Discussion

‚The painting is one of nine Passion panels, that were originally parts of an unknown number of winged altarpieces. Commissioned by Joachim II Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop created them for the collegial church in Berlin (Berliner Stiftskirche) between 1537 and 1538. This is one of the central panels, which was probably flanked by full-length depictions of saints on the wings and complemented by scenes from the old testament on the predella. […] The Berlin Passion cycle was based on the 16 Passion altarpieces, which were commissioned by Cardinal Albrecht from Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop for the collegial church in Halle (Hallenser Stiftskirche) (about 1520-1525) and it was the second large painted Passion series created in the Cranach workshop. Not only are numerous central panels now missing from the Berlin Passion altarpieces, like for example ‚The Arrest of Christ‘ or ‚The Crucifixion‘, but in addition the whereabouts of all the wing panels and a large number of the predella panels is unknown. They were probably lost in 1613 when Elector Johann Sigismund converted to Calvinism. […]‘

[Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, No. IV.14-22]

‚The appearance of Pilate and the accompanying soldiers on the gallery is an unusual feature in comparison with earlier depictions by Cranach.‘

[Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 215-216, No. IV.17]

  • Christ crowned with Thorns, 1537

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • irr

Technical studies

01. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brushes of varying widths

Type/Ductus:

- detailed and freehand underdrawing

- thin lines; predominantly short lines in combination with longer, at times broader lines; in two of the heads the medium seems to have beaded-off slightly

Function:

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

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ crowned with Thorns', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SPSG_GKI1194/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ crowned with Thorns', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SPSG_GKI1194/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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