Lucretia

Titles

Lucretia	[CDA 2010]
Lucretia	[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 239]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood	[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]
beech wood	[Klein, Report 1997] [http://bpkgate.picturemaxx.com/; 17.05.2010] [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 239] [Posse 1942, 61, No. 84]

Lucretia stands on stony ground against a black background. She wears a golden bonnet and necklace and is otherwise unclothed except for a veil around her hips, which she holds with her left hand. She points a dagger at her breast with her right hand.

[Gemäldegalerie Berlin, Unsinn 2010]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Elder
Hans Cranach

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010] [http://bpkgate.picturemaxx.com/; 17.05.2010] [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 118, No. 239] [Posse 1942, 61, No. 84]
Hans Cranach	[Flechsig 1900 A, 274, No. 60]

Production date: 1533

Production date

1533

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 37.3 x 23.9 x 0.5 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 37.3 x 23.9 x 0.5 cm
Dimensions of painted surface: 36 x 22.5 cm
Dimensions including frame: 46.3 x 33.3 cm
[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1533'

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1533'

Owner: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Location: Berlin

CDA ID: DE_smbGG_1832
FR (1978) Nr.: FR239
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_1832/

Provenance

1917 bequest from the heirs of the painter Ludwig Knaus
[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]
Kaiser Friedrich Museum, Berlin
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932, 66, No. 197]

Location since 1945 until its return to Berlin:
Merkers/Kaiserode mine
Wiesbaden
Washington
Wiesbaden
Berlin-Dahlem

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1898, 34
Dresden 1899, No. 60
Berlin 1937, 36, No. 96
Berlin 1973, No. 8
Chemnitz 2005/6, 79, Plate 30

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Heydenreich 2015

122

Fig. 4e

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Hans Cranach. Auf der Suche nach seinem verlorenen Oeuvre
Publication	in Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2015
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5415/6232/3883/Heydenreich_2015_-_Hans_Cranach.pdf
Pages	116 -127

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Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007

354

p. 354

Editor	Bodo Brinkmann
Title	Cranach der Ältere, [Frankfurt, Städel Museum, 23 Nov 2007 - 17 Feb 2008]
Place of Publication	Ostfildern
Year of Publication	2007

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Heydenreich 2007 A

399

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Lucas Cranach the Elder
Place of Publication	Amsterdam
Year of Publication	2007
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/6116/2097/3099/Heydenreich_2007_Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf

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Cat. Frankfurt 2005

Fig. 153

Author	Stephan Kemperdick, Bodo Brinkmann
Editor	Städelsches Kunstinstitut
Title	Deutsche Gemälde im Städel 1500 - 1550
Place of Publication	Mainz
Year of Publication	2005

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Widmaier-Picasso 2005

Pl. 30

Author	Diana Widmaier-Picasso
Title	Picasso und Cranach der Ältere. Kunst als Lebenskraft
Publication	in Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of Publication	Cologne
Year of Publication	2005
Pages	64-77

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Bierende 2002

Author	Edgar Bierende
Title	Lucas Cranach d.Ä. und der deutsche Humanismus. Tafelmalerei im Kontext von Rhetorik, Chroniken und Fürstenspiegeln
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	2002

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Follak 2002

Author	Jan Follak
Title	Lucretia zwischen positiver und negativer Anthropologie: Coluccio Salutatis Declamatio Lucretie und die Menschenbilder im exemplum der Lucretia von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit
Place of Publication	Konstanz
Year of Publication	2002
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144

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Scribner 1998

93ff.

Author	Bob Scribner
Title	Ways of seeing in the age of Dürer
Publication	in Dagmar Eichberger, Charles Zika, eds., Dürer and his culture [Melbourne, 1994]
Place of Publication	Cambridge Mass.
Year of Publication	1998

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Cat. Berlin 1996

34, 35

Fig. 74

Author	Rainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
Editor	Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Title	Gemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1996

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Klein 1994 A

196, 198

Tabs. 4, 5

Author	Peter Klein
Title	Lucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publication	in Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	194-200

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

118

No. 239

Fig. 239

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

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Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

660

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

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Schade 1974

Plate 148

Author	Werner Schade
Title	Die Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974

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Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973

No. 8

Author	Wilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
Title	Lucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1973

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Posse 1943

31, 62

No. 84

Author	Hans Posse
Title	Lucas Cranach d. Ä.
Place of Publication	Vienna
Issue	Second edition
Year of Publication	1943

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Posse 1942

31, 62

No. 84

Author	Hans Posse
Title	Lucas Cranach d. Ä.
Place of Publication	Vienna
Year of Publication	1942

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Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937

096

Pl. 73

Editor	Staatliche Museen, Berlin
Title	Lucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1937

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

197

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

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Flechsig 1900 A

254

No. 60

Author	Eduard Flechsig
Title	Cranachstudien
Volume	1
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1900
Link	page/n5/mode/2up

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Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1899

No. 60

Editor	Karl Woermann
Title	Deutsche Kunstausstellung Dresden 1899. Abteilung Cranach-Ausstellung. Wissenschaftliches Verzeichnis der ausgestellten Werke
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1899
Link	http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00002A2400000000

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Research History / Discussion

The painting depicts Lucretia as a standing, full-length nude figure.

Lucretia’s body is shown frontally and her left leg is slightly bent. Her face is tilted to the left, whereas she gazes into the far distance. She points a long dagger at herself with her right hand. The tip is directed upwards touching her below her right breast. In her left hand Lucretia holds a transparent veil, which falls over her lower right arm and thus covers her vulva. However the veil is so transparent that it does not conceal her vulva. In addition to the veil she wears a necklace and her hair is pinned up under a bonnet.

The background is dark and neutral, but Lucretia does stand on stony ground.

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

[Herrschaft, cda 2010]

The depiction of Lucretia in Vienna (FR238), which is dated '1532' is the same format and type. It may have served as a prototype for this painting. In addition to these two small format full-length depictions of Lucretia Cranach also painted a life-size nude depiction of Lucretia (FR358, FR240).

[Herrschaft, cda 2010]

Lucretia, 1533

Images

Documents

Technical studies

02. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- the drawing material could not be clearly identified

Type/Ductus:

- possibly a freehand underdrawing; barely visible

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; occasional lines describe inner forms; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- none apparent

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

- beech wood

- the panel consists of one plank

- the annual rings counted are dated between1531-1400

According to the most recent examination carried out by Dr. Peter Klein the wood is from the same tree as that of the following panels:

- Melanchthon, private collection

- Philipp Melanchthon, Berlin 619; DE_smbGG_619_FR314-315F

- Portrait of Martin Luther, Berlin 617; DE_smbGG_617_FR314-315F

- Frederick the Wise, New York 46.179.1

- The Ill-matched Lovers, Berlin 1606; DE_smbGG_1606_FR-none

- Portrait of a man, KAC, 31.112(Brett I-III); US_NAMAKC_31-112_FR415

- Christ crowned with Thorns, Bremen Roselius-Haus, B 56 (Brett I + II); DE_KBSB_B56_FR381F

- The Disciples Taking Leave of Christ, Stockholm NM 254 (Brett II + III)

- Eve, Chicago 1935.295 (Brett I + II)

- The three Electors of Saxony, Hamburger Kunsthalle 60

(Linker Flügel + rechter Flügel); DE_HKH_HK-606a_FR338; DE_HKH_HK-606c_FR338

- Portrait of Ernst, Duke of Saxony, Berlin, II 55 (Brett I+II); DE_smbGG_55-2 _FR-none

- Martin Luther, DON, 727

Ground and Imprimatura

- there is no barbe along the edge of the painted surface. The ground and paint extend to the edge of the panel.

[Handwritten annotation in the documentation file]

written by Christine Unsinn

17.02.1997Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Youngest annual ring: 1531

analysed by Peter Klein

07. 1987Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared photography

photographed by Fotowerkstatt, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

11.06.1979Scientific analysis

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

written by Peter Klein

X-radiography

created by Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_1832/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_1832/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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