Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony

Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony

Title

Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

The narrow pictorial space and the closeness of the green curtain with the acidic yellow raking light doesn't leave him [Johann Friedrich] much scope. The embroidery on the doublet, the summary execution of the brown fur, the gold chains and the numerous rings illustrate his royal class, his gaze seeks

The narrow pictorial space and the closeness of the green curtain with the acidic yellow raking light doesn't leave him [Johann Friedrich] much scope. The embroidery on the doublet, the summary execution of the brown fur, the gold chains and the numerous rings illustrate his royal class, his gaze seeks allies and loyal subjects. [...] On this portrait the disfiguring scar on his face was considered disturbing and overpainted, but it is still visible.

[Löcher, in Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

Attribution
Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

Production dates
after 1551
about 1550 - 1555

Production dates

after 1551

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

about 1550 - 1555

[Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 184]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 38 x 27 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 38 x 27 cm

  • [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels
  • there is a label attached to the reverse with the inv. no. 19 from the collection in Schloss Hüfingen.

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

    • there is a label attached to the reverse with the inv. no. 19 from the collection in Schloss Hüfingen.

  • [Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 184]

Owner
Sammlung Würth
Repository
Sammlung Würth
Location
Schwäbisch Hall
CDA ID
DE_SWK_6549
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6549/

Provenance

  • from the Laßberg collection
    [Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 184]
  • acquired by the Würth collection in 2003
    [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 6]

Exhibitions

  • Schwäbisch Hall 2004, No. 13

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Teget-Welz 2018 218
AuthorManuel Teget-Welz
TitleVon Gotha in die Ganze Welt. Die Fürstenserie des Monogrammisten IS
Publicationin Klaus Weschenfelder, ed., Cranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Pages209-228
Show Literature
Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009 83 13 p. 82
EditorC. Sylvia Weber
TitleAlte Meister in der Sammlung Würth. Der ehemals Fürstlich Fürstenbergische Bilderschatz
Place of PublicationSchwäbisch Hall
Issue2nd revised edition
Year of Publication2009
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1990 184 42 p. 185
AuthorClaus Grimm, Bernd Konrad
TitleDie Fürstenberg Sammlungen Donaueschingen. Altdeutsche und schweizerische Malerei des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1990
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1934 17
EditorHeinrich Feuerstein
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationDonaueschingen
Issue4th edition
Year of Publication1934
Link https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/feurstein1934/0001/image,info
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1921 17
AuthorHeinrich Feurstein
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationDonaueschingen
Issue3rd edition
Year of Publication1921
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1909 43
AuthorGeorg Tumbült
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationStuttgart
Issue2nd edition
Year of Publication1909
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1870 48
AuthorAlfred Woltmann
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichniss der Gemälde
Place of PublicationKarlsruhe
Year of Publication1870
Link https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101067654341&view=1up&seq=3
Show Literature
Waagen 1848 254
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
TitleÜber Denkmale der Kunst in Karlsruhe, Freiburg i. Br. und Konstanz
JournalKunstblatt
Issue29
Year of Publication1848
Show Literature
  • Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony, after 1551

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr

Technical studies

06. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and quill?

Type/Ductus:

- halting, traced lines in the face, otherwise freehand underdrawing

- hatching-strokes

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details and the facial features; representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- minor alterations were made during the painting process to clearly define form; no changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

Comments:

- a pair of eyes visible in the region of the mouth suggests that a painted panel was reused

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1990Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

- the underdrawing essentially defines inner contours. Uninspired and lacking nuances. Apparently transferred from a pre-existing design. Katrin Boskamp, Freiburg (verbal communication in July 1988) discovered a pair of eyes beneath the mouth, that do not appear to belong to the underdrawing of the present portrait. A panel that had already been painted was probably used here.

[Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 184]

Condition Reports

Date1990

  • repeatedly overpainted

  • the original edges of the painted surface have been retained on all four sides

  • the reverse has been smoothed and a protective coating was applied

[Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 184]

  • the disfiguring scar on the face was considered disturbing and overpainted, but remains visible

[Löcher, in Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 83]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6549/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6549/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.