Portrait of a Mayor of Weißenfels

Portrait of a Mayor of Weißenfels

Painting on parchment on wood

Medium

Painting on parchment on wood

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

A two thirds portrait of a mayor of Weißenfels against a dark background. He is depicted facing to the right, wearing a black robe and fur-trimmed overgown. His hand rests on a book and a gold plaque bearing an inscription hangs in front of his chest. This is partially concealed

A two thirds portrait of a mayor of Weißenfels against a dark background. He is depicted facing to the right, wearing a black robe and fur-trimmed overgown. His hand rests on a book and a gold plaque bearing an inscription hangs in front of his chest. This is partially concealed by his overgown.

[Gemäldegalerie Berlin, Unsinn 2010]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)

[cda 2017]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Dating
1515

Dating

1515

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 41.7 x 28.4 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 41.7 x 28.4 cm

  • Dimensions including frame: 51 x 38 cm

  • [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on the left edge just above the sitter's shoulder: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1515'; in yellowish white paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on the left edge just above the sitter's shoulder: winged serpent with elevated wings and dated '1515'; in yellowish white paint

Inscriptions

- on the panel in front of the sitter's chest there is a partially concealed and unclear inscription:
'PAV …

Inscriptions

Inscriptions:

  • - on the panel in front of the sitter's chest there is a partially concealed and unclear inscription:

  • 'PAV : N

  • QUE I

  • WOE

  • HIM

  • c. v'

Labels

Reverse of the panel: - in the centre, between the 3rd and 4th batten of the cradle:
label: 'Staatliche …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: - in the centre, between the 3rd and 4th batten of the cradle:

  • label: 'Staatliche Museen Berlin - Gemäldegalerie/ Inv. Nr. I, 689/ Kat. Nr. 618A'

  • [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Owner
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Location
Berlin
CDA ID
DE_smbGG_618A
FR (1978) Nr.
FR063
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_618A/

Provenance

- acquired in 1846
[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, 19, No. 26
Weimar, Wittenberg 1953, No. 87
Berlin 1973, No. 19
Basel 1974, 686, No. 602
Frankfurt 2008, 33, Fig. 7

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Müller 2010 66, 67 Fig. 11
AuthorMatthias Müller
Title"Menschen so zu malen, daß sie erkannt werden und zu leben scheinen" Naturnachahmung als Problem in Lucas Cranachs höfischer Porträtmalerei
Publicationin Matthias Müller, ed., Apelles am Fürstenhof. Facetten der Hofkunst um 1500 im Alten Reich Exhib. Cat. Coburg 2010
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2010
Pages57-73
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2007 A 109, 164, 255, 256, 257, 258, 395 Figs. 206, 243, 254
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
TitleLucas Cranach the Elder
Place of PublicationAmsterdam
Year of Publication2007
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/6116/2097/3099/Heydenreich_2007_Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf
Show Literature
Heydenreich 2007 B 33 7
AuthorGunnar Heydenreich
Title"... dass Du mit wunderbarer Schnelligkeit malest". Virtuosität und Effizienz in der künstlerischen Praxis Lucas Cranachs d. Ä.
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. FrankfurtA
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Pages29-47
Show Literature
Bünsche 1998 A 63
AuthorBernd Bünsche
TitleDie Verwendung von Lochpausen bei der Anfertigung der Fürstenportraits durch Lucas Cranach den Älteren
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, ed., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Pages61-64
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1996 34 Fig. 70
AuthorRainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleGemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1996
Show Literature
Schade, Schuttwolf 1994 19
AuthorWerner Schade, Allmuth Schuttwolf
TitleMalerei und Plastik
Publicationin Allmuth Schuttwolf, ed., Gotteswort und Menschenbild. Werke von Cranach und seinen Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Gotha
Place of PublicationGotha
Year of Publication1994
Pages15-94
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 82 No. 63 Fig. 63
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1975 A No. 618A
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleKatalog der ausgestellten Gemälde des 13. - 18. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1975
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 686 No. 602
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Schade 1974 Plate 119
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1973 No. 19 29
AuthorWilhelm H. Köhler, Frank Steigerwald
TitleLucas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Druckgraphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1973
Show Literature
Ruhmer 1963 Plate 14
AuthorEberhard Ruhmer
TitleCranach
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1963
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953 No. 87
AuthorWalther Scheidig
EditorDeutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
TitleLucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of PublicationWeimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Lüdecke 1953 A 54
AuthorHeinz Lüdecke
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere im Spiegel seiner Zeit. Aus Urkunden, Chroniken, Briefen, Reden und Gedichten
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Lilienfein 1942 69 Fig. 93
AuthorHeinrich Lilienfein
TitleLukas Cranach und seine Zeit
Place of PublicationBielefeld
Year of Publication1942
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 19 026 Pl. 36
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 56
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
  • Portrait of a Mayor of Weißenfels, 1515

Images

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  • x_radiograph
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License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Documents

Technical studies

01. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

- an underdrawing is not visible for the portrait, but there is a depiction of St Magdalene with two angels

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black pigmented medium, brush or quill?

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin lines

Function:

- not used

Deviations:

- the painting is a portrait

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • irr
  • irr
  • irr
  • irr
  • irr

Underdrawing

- beneath the portrait there is an underdrawing showing Mary Magdalena supported by angels

Framing

- new, made in 1967 in the carpenter's workshop, Staatlichen Museen

  • written by Christine Unsinn
  • photographed by Fotowerkstatt, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

2000Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Micro-sampling / cross-sections
  • Instrumental material analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis

CDA ID/Inventory No: DE_smbGG_618A

Object No: FR 063

Cross-section No.: EP 136

Brief description of paint: black background (?) on parchment

Sample location: left edge

Sample No.: 185

Methods: EDX

Observations:

2.thin black layer with black flakey pigments [EDX: Ca, Pb, P, (Fe) bone black, with some lead (-white) and iron oxide], background

1. in the hollows (pore?) there a white elements [EDX: Ca,(S, K) chalk may have been employed during the preparation process of the parchment or to modify it?]

0. parchment (with the pores facing up)

Comments: the black paint (bone black) was applied directly onto the parchment so if there is a preparatory layer it is very thin

[cda 2015]

  • analysed by Aviva Burnstock
  • analysed by Gunnar Heydenreich

2000Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Micro-sampling / cross-sections
  • Instrumental material analysis
  • analysis
  • analysis

CDA ID/Inventory No: DE_smbGG_618A

Object No: FR 063

Cross-section No.: EP 134

Brief description of paint: black background on parchment or fill (retouching)

Sample location: left edge, above fur

Sample No.: 183

Observations:

2. black layer (unusual fluoresce under UV-light), retouching?

1. white layer, fill material?

0. brown amorphous mass, parchment fill?

Comments: fill material and retouches

[cda 2015]

  • analysed by Aviva Burnstock
  • analysed by Gunnar Heydenreich

25.10.1977Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared photography
  • irr
  • photographed by Fotowerkstatt, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

1974Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph

Condition Reports

Date2010

Support:

- parchment later attached to a wooden support

Reverse:

- new cradle

  • written by Christine Unsinn

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of a Mayor of Weißenfels', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_618A/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of a Mayor of Weißenfels', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_618A/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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