The St Olav altarpiece was originally painted for the Chapel of the Bergenfahrer in the Church of St Marien. The whole complex consisted of three paintings and a carved shrine. When closed the depiction of the three female saints Barbara, Catherine and Dorothy was visible. It then opened out like
The St Olav altarpiece was originally painted for the Chapel of the Bergenfahrer in the Church of St Marien. The whole complex consisted of three paintings and a carved shrine. When closed the depiction of the three female saints Barbara, Catherine and Dorothy was visible. It then opened out like a book to show the other two paintings depicting St Olav with the two evangelists John and Matthew on the left and the deposition on the right-hand side. When opened a second time a sculptural ensemble was revealed with the Holy Kinship on one side and the Sts Roche, Anthony and Sebastian on the other. These saints were flanked either side by diminutive figures of the apostles in vertical niches.
This panel shows Christ at the centre of the composition, being taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathia and Nicodemus as described in St John’s Gospel. At the left are the three Marys and St John while Mary Magdalene kneels at the right of the cross and the Virgin, beyond grief, observes from behind. The figurative group is set against a gilded background with a punched decorative pattern.
[cda 2021]
- Attributions
-
Hans Kemmer
Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop
Attributions
Hans Kemmer | [Bruns 1900, CXXXI] [Gaedertz 1900] [Schaeffer 1917] [Emmendörffer 1997, 42] |
Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop | 'work of Cranach's youth or by an assistant' [Woermann, Woltmann 1882] |
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder | [Parthey 1863 - 1864] [Goldschmidt 1890, 27] [Flechsig 1900 A, 129-131] |
unknown | 'niederelbisch' (anonymous artist from the lower Elb region) [Funk 1841] |
Matthias Grünewald | [Waagen 1846] [Kugler 1861] [Gaedertz 1887] |
Pietro Perugino | [Zietz 1822, 66, 67] [Funk 1823] |
- Production dates
- 1522 - 1524
1515 - 1516
Production dates
1522 - 1524 | [Emmendörffer 1997, 42] [Bruns 1900, CXXXI] |
1473 | [Gaedertz 1887] |
1515 - 1516 | [Goldschmidt 1890, 27] |
1524 | [cda 2021] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 156 x 148 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 156 x 148 cm
Dimensions including frame: 176 x 168 cm
[Emmendörffer 1997, 74]
- Owner
- St. Marien, Lübeck
- Repository
- painting not preserved
- CDA ID
- DE_StML-Lost_NONE-StML001b
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR-none
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_StML-Lost_NONE-StML001b/