Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Title

Martin Luther

[cda 2022]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

The painting depicts Martin Luther as a half-length figure in three-quarter profile, facing right against a greyish beige background. He is wearing a black gown with a high collar over a black tunic, which has a red ribbon at the neck and reveals the black fringed collar of a white

The painting depicts Martin Luther as a half-length figure in three-quarter profile, facing right against a greyish beige background. He is wearing a black gown with a high collar over a black tunic, which has a red ribbon at the neck and reveals the black fringed collar of a white shirt. Luther's characteristic facial features are framed by his short wavy hair depicted in shades of grey. In his hands Luther presents the viewer with an open book showing a biblical passage in German from the first letter to Timothy. At the top right corner there is a coat of arms depicting the Luther rose and a heart with a tau cross at the centre.

[cda 2022]

Attributions
Monogrammist MLN
Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Monogrammist MLN

[signed, genuine?]

Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger

? [cda 2022]

Production date
1568

Production date

1568

[dated, genuine?]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: no information available

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: no information available

Signature / Dating

Signed with the artist's monogram: 'MLN' and dated '1568'

Signature / Dating

  • Signed with the artist's monogram: 'MLN' and dated '1568'

Inscriptions and Labels
  • at the top left: 'AETATIS SVAE LXIII'

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • at the top left:

  • 'AETATIS SVAE LXIII'

Owner
St. Laurentius Kirche, Kirchengemeinde Lunden
Repository
St. Laurentius Kirche, Kirchengemeinde Lunden
Location
Lunden
CDA ID
DE_StLL_NONE-StLL001
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_StLL_NONE-StLL001/

Connected Works

Philipp Melanchthon
  • Philipp Melanchthon, 1568
  • DE_StLL_NONE-StLL002
  • Painting
  • St. Laurentius Kirche, Kirchengemeinde Lunden

Provenance

  • the portraits were presented to the church by the theologian Klaus Harms (1778-1855)
    [Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

Research History / Discussion

It is not known whether Klaus Harms donated the original paintings to the church or if he commissioned copies in the 19th century – perhaps by the artist ‘MLN’. A technical examination would contribute to establishing the date and authorship of the work.

[cda 2022]

  • Martin Luther, 1568

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Conservation History

Date1979

  • conservation treatment

[Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

Date1974

  • conservation treatment

[Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

Date1964

  • conservation treatment

[Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

Date1840

  • frame replaced

[Kirchengemeinde Lunden, revised 2022]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_StLL_NONE-StLL001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_StLL_NONE-StLL001/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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