The Entombment

The Entombment

Title

The Entombment

[cda 2012]

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

Medium

Painting on limewood (Tilia sp.)

[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 217, No. IV.20]

The body of Christ is laid in the sarcophagus by Joseph of Arimathia, Nicodemus and St John. The women in morning stand behind the grave. In the background there is a rock cave and at the top right a view of some green. Mary Magdalene kneels in front of the

The body of Christ is laid in the sarcophagus by Joseph of Arimathia, Nicodemus and St John. The women in morning stand behind the grave. In the background there is a rock cave and at the top right a view of some green. Mary Magdalene kneels in front of the grave with her hands clasped and looks out at the viewer. A crown of thorns lies on the ground in front of the coffin.

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 217, No. IV.20]

Production date
1538

Production date

1538

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 150.2 x 111.2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 150.2 x 111.2 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 217, No. IV.20]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia central bottom on the stone: serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1538'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia central bottom on the stone: serpent (with dropped wings) and date '1538'

Inscriptions and Labels

verso: top left, remains of a seal
(Siegel des Directeur general d. Musees de France)

On the top cross-member, label:

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • verso: top left, remains of a seal

  • (Siegel des Directeur general d. Musees de France)

  • On the top cross-member, label:

  • 'Staatliche Museen Berlin - Gemäldegalerie

    • Inv.Nr. I. 643 [?]

    • Kat.Nr. 581

    • L. Cranach d. Ä.'

  • Between 3. and 4. vertical member, with white chalk: '581'

  • Right centre, seal:

  • 'Koenigliche Museen Berlin'

  • Bottom left and right, identical labels:

  • 'Gen. Kat.

    • No. 11427'

  • [Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, revised 2010]

Owner
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository
Grunewald hunting lodge
Location
Grunewald
CDA ID
DE_smbGG_581
FR (1978) Nr.
FR370
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_581/

Connected Works

The Agony in the Garden
  • The Agony in the Garden, about 1537
  • DE_smbGG_580
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Washing of the Feet
  • The Washing of the Feet, 153[7]
  • DE_smbGG_579
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
The Resurrection
  • The Resurrection, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1189
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ carrying the Cross
  • Christ carrying the Cross, about 1537 - 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1190
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Ecce Homo
  • Ecce Homo, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1193
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ crowned with Thorns
  • Christ crowned with Thorns, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI1194
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
The Scourging of Christ
  • The Scourging of Christ, 1537
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2270
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
Christ in Limbo
  • Christ in Limbo, 1538
  • DE_SPSG_GKI2271
  • Painting
  • Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg

Provenance

  • probably taken from the cathedral (Domkirche) in the 17th century and placed in the Erasmus chapel (Erasmuskapelle) of the Berlin palace; eight Passion paintings are listed in the Berlin palace inventory from 1700
    [Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, Nos. IV.14-22]

Exhibitions

Berlin 2009, No. IV.20
Berlin 1973, No. 6c

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Sandner, Heydenreich, Smith-Contini 2015 136, Fn. 61
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich, Ingo Sandner, Helen Smith-Contini
TitleVeränderungen beim Unterzeichnen in Cranachs Werkstatt und die Arbeitsweise von Sohn Lucas
Publicationin Elke A. Werner, Anne Eusterschulte, Gunnar Heydenreich, eds., Lucas Cranach der Jüngere und die Reformation der Bilder
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/5215/6337/7366/Heydenreich_Sandner_Smith-Contini_2015_-_Unterzeichnung.pdf
Pages128-141
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009 A 217 No. IV.20 Fig. IV.20
EditorStiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg
TitleCranach und die Kunst der Renaissance unter den Hohenzollern. Kirche, Hof und Stadtkultur
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2009
Show Literature
Tacke 2007 C 81, 82, 84
AuthorAndreas Tacke
TitleMit Cranachs Hilfe: Antireformatorische Kunstwerke vor dem Tridentiner Konzil
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, [Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt am Main]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Link http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/artdok/volltexte/2012/2000
Pages81-89
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1996 35 No. 81
AuthorRainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleGemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1996
Show Literature
Erichsen 1994 A 157, 158
AuthorJohannes Erichsen
TitleAltäre Lucas Cranachs und seiner Werkstatt vor der Reformation
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhof, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmen aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26/94
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages150-165
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 144 No. 370 Fig. 370
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973 No. 6c
AuthorWilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
TitleLucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 84 295
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature
Friedländer 1905 64
AuthorMax J. Friedländer
TitleDie Tafelmalerei des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts
Publicationin Oscar Döring, Georg Voss, eds., Meisterwerke der Kunst aus Sachsen und Thüringen
Place of PublicationMagdeburg
Year of Publication1905
Pages3-18
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 C 15-16 14
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Zweiter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd2
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1830 144 No. II.6
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
EditorKönigliches Museum, Berlin
TitleVerzeichniß der Gemälde-Sammlung des Königlichen Museums zu Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1830
Show Literature
Puhlmann 1790 43
AuthorJohann Gottlieb Puhlmann
TitleBeschreibung der Gemählde welche sich in der Bildergallerie, den daranstossenden Zimmern, und dem weissen Saale im Königl. Schlosse zu Berlin befinden
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1790
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

‚The painting is one of nine Passion panels, which were originally parts of an unknown number of winged altarpieces. Commissioned by Joachim II Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop created them for the collegial church in Berlin (Berliner Stiftskirche) between 1537 and 1538. This is one of the central panels, which was probably flanked by full-length depictions of saints on the wings and complemented by scenes from the old testament on the predella. […] The Berlin Passion cycle was based on the 16 Passion altarpieces, which were commissioned by Cardinal Albrecht from Lucas Cranach the Elder and his workshop for the collegial church in Halle (Hallenser Stiftskirche) (about 1520-1525) and it was the second large painted Passion series created in the Cranach workshop. Not only are numerous central panels now missing from the Berlin Passion altarpieces, like for example ‚The Arrest of Christ‘ or ‚The Crucifixion‘, but in addition the whereabouts of all the wing panels and a large number of the predella panels is unknown. They were probably lost in 1613 when Elector Johann Sigismund converted to Calvinism. […]‘

[Elke A. Werner, Exhib. Cat. Berlin 2009, 213, No. IV.14-22]

  • The Entombment, 1538

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • x_radiograph
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brushes of varying widths

Type/Ductus:

- detailed and freehand underdrawing

- thin lines; predominantly short line in combination with some longer, occasionally broader lines

- occasional washes?

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details and the facial features; some representation of volume (washes)

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Entombment', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_581/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'The Entombment', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_581/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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