Christ defeating Death and Devil

Christ defeating Death and Devil

Title

Christ defeating Death and Devil

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 84]

Painting on softwood (fir)

Medium

Painting on softwood (fir)

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 84]

In this painting from the Cranach workshop (probably a work by Lucas Cranach the Younger) the number of figures has been reduced to illustrate the Protestant Belief as propagandised by Luther with reference to St Paul's letters to the Romans. Christ is shown kicking Death, who is depicted as a

In this painting from the Cranach workshop (probably a work by Lucas Cranach the Younger) the number of figures has been reduced to illustrate the Protestant Belief as propagandised by Luther with reference to St Paul's letters to the Romans. Christ is shown kicking Death, who is depicted as a skeleton crawling over the tombstone. The Devil is represented by a dragon-like creature with the horns of a ram and a pig's snout. Christ has pinned him down with his other foot and the glass shaft of his banner.

[Löcher, in Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2008, 84]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 84]

Production date
1561

Production date

1561

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 72 x 41.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 72 x 41.5 cm

  • [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 84]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom on the tombstone: winged serpent (not authentic as executed over a more recent varnish layer) and dated '1561' (probably genuine)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the bottom on the tombstone: winged serpent (not authentic as executed over a more recent varnish layer) and dated '1561' (probably genuine)

  • [cda 2015]

Owner
Sammlung Würth
Repository
Sammlung Würth
Location
Schwäbisch Hall
CDA ID
DE_SWK_6556
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6556/

Provenance

  • between 1892 and 1896 bought by Prince Karl Egon IV.
    [Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 194]
  • acquired by the Würth collection in 2003
    [Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009, 6]

Exhibitions

  • Schwäbisch Hall 2004, no. 14

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Schwäbisch Hall 2009 84 14 p. 85
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 194 48 p. 195
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 1980 82
AuthorHans Helmut Hofstätter
TitleDie Fürstlich Fürstenbergischen Sammlungen in Donaueschingen
SeriesGroßer Kunstführer
Volume81
Place of PublicationMunich, Zurich
Year of Publication1980
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1934 18
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 17-18
AuthorHeinrich Feurstein
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationDonaueschingen
Issue3rd edition
Year of Publication1921
Show Literature
Cat. Donaueschingen 1909 52
AuthorGeorg Tumbült
TitleFürstlich Fürstenbergische Sammlungen zu Donaueschingen. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationStuttgart
Issue2nd edition
Year of Publication1909
Show Literature
  • Christ defeating Death and Devil, 1561

Images

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

Technical studies

06. 2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush; an initial design may have been executed with a stylus (or other dry drawing material)

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed underdrawing, in part traced or copied

- thin to broader lines

Function:

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

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1990Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

- the underdrawing defining the detail in the face of the protestant minister and the body of the risen Christ is schematic and well versed

[Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 194]

Condition Reports

Date1990

  • damaged in the background

  • figures generally in relatively good condition

  • the painted edges have been retained

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

  • some wooden blocks attached to the reverse as reinforcement

[Cat. Donaueschingen 1990, 194]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ defeating Death and Devil', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6556/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ defeating Death and Devil', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SWK_6556/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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