Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Title

Martin Luther

[CDA 2010]

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sp.)

Medium

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sp.)

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]
[Klein, Report 1997]

Almost life size half-portrait of Martin Luther (1483-1546). The sitter is depicted facing to the right and wears a black robe and a small black beret. The background is light blue. The reverse was painted black at a later date.

[Gemäldegalerie Berlin, Unsinn 2010]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Berlin 1931, 611, No. 617]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

From 1830 - 1860: Lucas Cranach the Elder
[Waagen, Cat. Berlin 1830, 144, No. 63]

Production dates
about 1540
about 1533 - 1540

Production dates

about 1540

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

about 1533 - 1540

[cda 2021]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 37.3 x 24 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 37.3 x 24 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 51.3 x 37.8 cm

  • [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: - top centre:
label (Solly): D 6 N° 12/ Sies Boll [?]/ A …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - top centre:

  • label (Solly): D 6 N° 12/ Sies Boll [?]/ A I-I/ L - 9'

    • bottom left:

  • label: 'Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz/ Gemäldegalerie Berlin/ Inv.Nr. 617/ Cranach d. Ä. L. Werkstatt/ Martin Luther'

    • centre right:

  • remains of an old seal

    • beneath:

  • label: 'Staatliche Museen Berlin - Gemäldegalerie/ Inventar-Nr. I. 687/ Katalog-Nr./ 617/ Cranach Werkstatt/ Luther'

  • [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Owner
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Location
Berlin
CDA ID
DE_smbGG_617
FR (1978) Nr.
FR314-315F
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_617/

Connected Works

Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon
  • Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon, about 1540
  • DE_smbGG_619
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie

Provenance

  • 1821 acquired with the Solly Collection
    [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, 36, Nr. 92
Montreal 1967
Osaka 1970
Berlin-Deutschlandhaus 1974-76
Berlin-Staatsbibliothek 1982
Berlin-Deutschlandhaus 1983
Berlin-MV 1983

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Berlin 1996 35 Fig. 83
AuthorRainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleGemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1996
Show Literature
Klein 1994 A 200 Tab. 10
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleLucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages194-200
Show Literature
Harms 1983
EditorWolfgang Harms
TitleIllustrierte Flugblätter aus den Jahrhunderten der Reformation und der Glaubenskämpfe
Place of PublicationCoburg
Year of Publication1983
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 132 No. 314F
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Montreal 1967
EditorLa Galerie Nationale de Canada
TitleMan and his World, International Fine Arts Exhibition, Expo 67
Place of PublicationMontreal
Year of Publication1967
Show Literature
Jahn 1955
AuthorJohannes Jahn
TitleLucas Cranach als Graphiker
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1955
Show Literature
Lilienfein 1942 59
AuthorHeinrich Lilienfein
TitleLukas Cranach und seine Zeit
Place of PublicationBielefeld
Year of Publication1942
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 36 092
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 252
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
Cat. Berlin 1931 611 No. 617
EditorKaiser-Friedrich-Museum, Berlin, Irene Kunze
TitleBeschreibendes Verzeichnis der Gemälde im Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum und Deutschen Museum
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1931
Show Literature
Glaser 1923 148ff.
AuthorCurt Glaser
TitleLukas Cranach
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1923
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/glaser1923
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1830 144 No. 63
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
EditorKönigliches Museum, Berlin
TitleVerzeichniß der Gemälde-Sammlung des Königlichen Museums zu Berlin
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1830
Show Literature
  • Martin Luther, about 1540

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • analysis

Documents

Technical studies

2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

- beech wood

- the panel consists of one plank

- the rebate has been retained on all four sides

According to the most recent examination by Dr. Peter Klein the wood comes from the same tree as that of the following paintings:

Lucretia, Staatliche Museen Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, 1832, [DE_smbGG_1832_FR239]

Philipp Melanchthon, Staatliche Museen Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, 619, [DE_smbGG_619_FR314-315F]

Friedrich the Wise, New York 46.179.1

An Ill-matched Pair, Staatliche Museen Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, 1606, [DE_smbGG_1606_FR-none]

Portrait of a Man, KAC. 31.112, [US_NAMAKC_31-112_FR415]

Christ as the Man of Sorrows, Bremen Roseliushaus, B56, [DE_KBSB_B56_FR381F]

Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles, Stockholm Nationalmuseum, NM 254 (Planks II+III)

Eve, Chicago, 1935.295

Duke Johann Ernst von Sachsen, Staatliche Museen Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, II 55, [DE_smbGG_55-2_FR-none]

The Electors of Saxony, Hamburger Kunsthalle (right and left wings), 606, [DE_HKH_HK-606a_FR338] and[DE_HKH_HK-606c_FR338]

Martin Luther, DON, 727

Ground and Imprimatura

- a barbe along the edge of the painted surface has been retained on all four sides

Underdrawing

'Underdrawing in red chalk, then black charcoal- a wash was applied in the areas of shadow'

[Handwritten in the documentation file]

  • written by Christine Unsinn

17.02.1997Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

  • analysed by Peter Klein

03.10.1989Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

  • written by Peter Klein
  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph

Support made from the same tree

Portrait of Christiane of Eulenau
  • Portrait of Christiane of Eulenau, 1534
  • DE_BStGS_13706
  • Painting
  • Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
Friedrich the Wise, Elector of Saxony [left wing of the triptych]
  • Friedrich the Wise, Elector of Saxony [left wing of the triptych], after 1532
  • DE_HKH_HK-606a
  • Painting
  • Hamburger Kunsthalle
Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony [right wing of the triptych]
  • Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous, Elector of Saxony [right wing of the triptych], after 1532
  • DE_HKH_HK-606c
  • Painting
  • Hamburger Kunsthalle
Christ as the Man of Sorrows
  • Christ as the Man of Sorrows, about 1537
  • DE_KBSB_B56
  • Painting
  • Freie Hansestadt Bremen, Stadtgemeinde
Johann Ernst of Saxony
  • Johann Ernst of Saxony, about 1550
  • DE_smbGG_55-2
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon
  • Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon, about 1540
  • DE_smbGG_619
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
An ill-matched Pair
  • An ill-matched Pair, 1535
  • DE_smbGG_1606
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Lucretia
  • Lucretia, 1533
  • DE_smbGG_1832
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Friedrich III, the Wise, Elector of Saxony
  • Friedrich III, the Wise, Elector of Saxony, 1533
  • US_MMANY_46-179-1
  • Painting
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Portrait of a Man
  • Portrait of a Man, 1538
  • US_NAMAKC_31-112
  • Painting
  • The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City
Portrait of Martin Luther
  • Portrait of Martin Luther, after 1530
  • DE_SWK_6553
  • Painting
  • Sammlung Würth
Martin Luther, bust-length, facing left
  • Martin Luther, bust-length, facing left, as of 1533
  • DE_SAOH_2000-3a
  • Painting
  • Stiftung August Ohm, Hamburg
Christ taking Leave from the Apostels
  • Christ taking Leave from the Apostels, about 1535-1540
  • SE_NMS_NM254
  • Painting
  • Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

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_smbGG_617/ (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_smbGG_617/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.