Christ blessing the children

Christ blessing the children

Title

Christ blessing the children

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Christ occupies the centre of the image. Young women carrying their naked newborn infants in their arms crowd in from both sides to get Christ to touch them. Christ holds one of the infants in his arms, he places his hand on another one's body. The group of pretty woman

Christ occupies the centre of the image. Young women carrying their naked newborn infants in their arms crowd in from both sides to get Christ to touch them. Christ holds one of the infants in his arms, he places his hand on another one's body. The group of pretty woman is full of life. In part they cast their devout gaze towards Christ, in part they talk among themselves. One woman breastfeeds her child, an impatient young boy pulls the white linen cloth to call attention to himself; a small girl wants to be carried in her mother's arms. The group of men at the left edge represent the disciples of Jesus, with St Peter at the front. They observe the rush of the women with displeasure and must be cautioned by Christ.

[Löcher, in Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach der Jüngere

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Lucas Cranach der Jüngere

[Koepplin, in Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 518]

Production dates
after 1537
about 1540

Production dates

after 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 362 E]

about 1540

[Koepplin, in Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 518]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 71 x 122 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 71 x 122 cm

  • [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

  • [cda 2015]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • at the top edge: 'LASSET DIE KINDLEIN ZV MIR KOMMEN VND VERET INEN NICHT DEN SOLCHER IST DAS HIMMELREICH …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • at the top edge:

  • 'LASSET DIE KINDLEIN ZV MIR KOMMEN VND VERET INEN NICHT DEN SOLCHER IST DAS HIMMELREICH MAR X'

  • [cda 2015]

Owner
Sammlung Würth
Repository
Sammlung Würth
Location
Schwäbisch Hall
CDA ID
DE_SWK_10816
FR (1978) Nr.
FR362E
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_10816/

Provenance

  • Lord Northbrook Collection, London
  • P. und D. Colnaghi, London
  • Georg Schäfer Collection, Schweinfurt
  • Auction Lempertz, Cologne, 24 May 1982, lot 23
    [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 37]

Exhibitions

  • Basel 1974, No. 367
  • Nuremberg 1983, No. 349

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008 37 2 p. 38-39
EditorC. Sylvia Weber
TitleNeuerwerbungen Alte Meister in der Sammlung Würth
Place of PublicationSchwäbisch Hall
Year of Publication2008
Show Literature
Cat. Frankfurt 2005 228
AuthorStephan Kemperdick, Bodo Brinkmann
EditorStädelsches Kunstinstitut
TitleDeutsche Gemälde im Städel 1500 - 1550
Place of PublicationMainz
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Nuremberg 1983 269 349
EditorGerhard Bott
TitleMartin Luther und die Reformation in Deutschland. Ausstellung zum 500. Geburtstag Martin Luthers
Place of PublicationFrankfurt a. M.
Year of Publication1983
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 362 E
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 518 367
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Westphal 1971 226 p. 181
AuthorVolker Westphal
TitleZum Gemälde des Lucas Cranach d. Ä. "Christus segnet die Kinder"
JournalDie Weltkunst
IssueXLI (No. 5), 1 March 1971
Year of Publication1971
Pages226
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 291 C
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
  • Christ blessing the children, after 1537

Images

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Technical studies

06. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared redflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid, black medium, brush; initial lines may have been executed with a hard drawing implement?

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- corrections were made to forms during the painting process; no changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder or workshop

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ blessing the children', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_10816/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ blessing the children', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_10816/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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