Portrait of the wife of a Jurist

Macroscopic and microscopic examination carried out by Dipl. Rest. Undine Köhler

(LEICA MS 5; f=100; magnification on the microscope: 0,6 - 4; magnification: 60 - 400x)

UV examination

Infrared reflectograph (Schmidt 2010)

X-radiograph (Schmidt 2010)

Dendrochronological report (Klein1989):

- wooden panel: (details of the construction)

- the panel consists of one tangentially cut spruce wood plank (cut close to the heartwood)

- height: 52.4 cm on the right and 52.5 cm on the left side; width: 36.3 cm at the bottom and 36.2 at the top; 0.6 cm thick

- the grain runs in a vertical direction

- a knot (0.8 cm in diameter) is visible in the x-radiograph at the centre of the left side of the panel (viewed from the front)

- there are two square inserts in the right half of the panel above and below the centre (the upper one measures: 6.5 x 0.5 cm; the lower one: 7.2 x 1.4 cm). The reverse has been covered with an application of tow fibres to prevent them from falling out

- there is a slight bevel on the reverse along the top and bottom edges. Along the bottom edge it measures about 2 cm at its widest point and only 0.8 cm along the top

- the original surface on the reverse has not been preserved

Size:

A sizing layer could not be identified with either the naked eye or under the stereomicroscope, but it may be assumed that one was applied.

Ground:

A white porous layer, presumably a glue/chalk ground was applied to the wooden panel and is clearly visible under the stereomicroscope along the top edge.

Imprimatura:

Above this is a thinner, lead white layer, which functioned as an imprimatura. This layer is visible in areas of paint loss, along the edge of the panel and in the x-radiograph it appears white. It shows a streaky application, which frequently changes direction. In the right area of the shoulder depressed lines are visible in the ground running diagonally from the top right to the bottom left c. 0.1 cm apart. They are visible to the naked eye in raking light and appear as white lines on the x-radiograph. These may have been caused when the panel was sanded down.

- in the light areas of the painting (flesh paint, clothing) the lines of the underdrawing are clearly visible to the naked eye through the thin paint layers and in the infrared reflectograph. It appears that the drawing was carried out in a black fluid material over the entire composition as is shown in the infrared reflectograph.

The imprimatura containing lead white was applied over this. Lines of two widths can be identified. One measures 0.1 - 0.2 cm and the other only 0.05 cm. The thicker lines were primarily employed to execute the contours of the clothes whereas the thinner lines were used to describe the face. The width of the broader line varies, it is pointed at the end and paint has collected at either the beginning or the end. The uniformity in width of the thinner lines is conspicuous. The lines in the face may have been transferred from a template. This is supported by the slight off-set at the tip of the sitter’s nose or the pupils or the precise lines in the eyes.

see pdf

- wooden frame with a narrow inner round rod and a broader rod along the outer edge; black coating, centre and corners decorated with stencilled gold floral ornaments

Dimensions of the frame: 62.5 x 47.3 x 5.5 cm

Inv.-No.: 93.248

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black pigmented medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- detailed and freehand underdrawing

- fine lines executed with a brush in a diluted medium are followed by more precise lines; some hatching-strokes

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and generally describes inner forms and facial features; some representation of volume (hatching-strokes)

Deviations:

- alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

CDA ID/Inventory No: DE_smbGG_1907

Object No: FR 009

Cross-section No.: EP 121

Brief description of paint: green from the landscape in the background

Sample location: right edge, at the height of the ellbow, green background

Sample No.: 190

Observations:

2. dark green glaze, does not fluoresce under UV-light

1. light green layer, no imprimitura visible, green amorphous particles, single blue, red and brown particles.

0. white ground

0. Wood

Comments: two green layers applied over the ground layer

[cda 2015]

CDA ID/Inventory No: DE_smbGG_1907

Object No: FR 009

Cross-section No.: EP120

Brief description of paint: blue sky on grey underpaint/layer

Sample location: upper edge, at the right above the tree

Sample No.: 188

Observations:

3. two layers of varnish, these fluoresce in UV-light, none of the other layers fluoresce

2. blue layer, blue (azurite) and white, sky paint

1. greyish-brown layer, black, brown transparent (does not fluoresce under UV-light, white, single red pigment; warm grey underpaint

0. white layer, ground

Comments: a warm grey uderpaint was applied over the ground layer followed by an admixture of an intense azurite blue and white

[cda 2015]

CDA ID/Inventory No: DE_smbGG_1907

Object No: FR 009

Cross-section No.: EP 119

Brief description of paint: gilding on original frame on red garment with black outline

Sample location: lower edge, right corner

Sample No.: 187

Methods: EDX

Observations:

5. black layer (with cloudy yellow fluorescence in UV-light, followed by 1- 3 layers(?) of varnish, and a split between the embedding medium and sample

4. gold leaf approx. 400-500 nm thick; probably the gold from the original frame

3.yellowish-red layer, white and reddish ochre pigments, a lot of binding medium (yellow fluorescence in UV-light) mordant for gilding, between this and the layer beneath there is a partially darker, very thin isolating layer (single black piments and red) in EDX Fe, Al, Pb (or S) and Ca. Iron oxide (yellow ochre) and lead white

2. dark red transparent layer, red lake (in UV-light the individual particles fluoresce orange, some dark red like above and yellow fluorescence). In SEM/ EDX dark, Al, S or Pb, Ca, Si, Cl, K, Mn? red lake on an aluminous substrate, glaze

1. red layer, red cristalline particles in orange-red medium (in UV-light it appears very homogenous, dark red particles, broken shapes) (Hg, Si) vermillion(?), red underpaint

0. white layer, upper section more transparent, ground layer

Comments: the red underpaint (dark red in UV-light) was applied directly over the white ground, followed by a red lake glaze (different components are visible in UV-light). Then the gold leaf was applied to a mordant containing yellow ochre, followed by a black paint layer and numerous varnish layers

[cda 2015]

Earlier, possibly original frame

• the original dimensions of the panel have not been preserved, the reverse was also reworked

• the panel is slightly warped

• there are small splits running vertically from the top and bottom edges

• in 1979 a cradle that had been previously attached to the reverse was removed

• a split at the top left was reinforced with a wooden bar

• the varnish has yellowed slightly