St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel]

St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel]

Titles

St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel]

[CDA 2010]

Winged Altar depicting the Life of St Barbara

[Cat. Berlin 1996, 35]

Painting on wood (oak wood?)

Medium

Painting on wood (oak wood?)

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Spruce wood

[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 21, No. 66]

Altarpiece depicting the life of St Barbara

Central panel (showing four scenes):

- top left: St Barbara being baptised by St John the Baptist

- top right: The Castigation of St Barbara

- bottom left: The building of the tower in which the saint was imprisioned. St Barbara stands to the

Altarpiece depicting the life of St Barbara

Central panel (showing four scenes):

- top left: St Barbara being baptised by St John the Baptist

- top right: The Castigation of St Barbara

- bottom left: The building of the tower in which the saint was imprisioned. St Barbara stands to the left with a companion, and two builders are on the right

- bottom right: In the background St Barbara in the tower, crowned by Christ. In the foreground two soldiers play cards.

[Cat. Berlin 1883, No. 636B]

Attributions
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]
'Lucas Cranach der Ältere, Schule'
[Cat. Berlin 1996, 35, No. 95, 96]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Berlin 1883, No. 636B]

Production date
1530 - 1540

Production date

1530 - 1540

[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 21, No. 66]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 172 x 138 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 172 x 138 cm

  • [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

  • Maße Bildträger: 172 x 66 cm

  • [Cat. Erfurt 1924, 21, No. 66]

Signature / Dating

None

Owner
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
Repository
Angermuseum, Erfurt
Location
Erfurt
CDA ID
DE_smbGG_636Ba
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_636Ba/

Connected Works

St Barbara Altarpiece [left wing]
  • St Barbara Altarpiece [left wing], 1530 - 1540
  • DE_smbGG_636Bb
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
St Barbara Altarpiece [right wing]
  • St Barbara Altarpiece [right wing], 1530 - 1540
  • DE_smbGG_636Bc
  • Painting
  • Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie

Provenance

  • 1879 acquired from the brandenburg-prussian art cabinet (Kunstkammer)
    [Gemäldegalerie, revised 2010]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005 146 (English version 54) under no. 43
EditorObrazárna Pražského hradu, Kaliopi Chamonikola
TitlePod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme. Under the winged Serpent. Lucas Cranach and the Czech Land
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Cat. Berlin 1996 35 Figs. 95, 96
AuthorRainald Grosshans, Henning Bock
EditorStaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie
TitleGemäldegalerie Berlin. Gesamtverzeichnis
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1996
Show Literature
Cat. Erfurt 1924 21 066
Authorn. a.
TitleKatalog des Städtischen Museums zu Erfurt. Mittelalterliche Sammlung. Gemäldegalerie
Place of PublicationErfurt
Year of Publication1924
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

'The composition of the altarpiece has been changed. Originally the panels would have served as wing panels flanking a carved centre piece.'

[Cat. Erfurt 1924, 21, No. 66]

  • St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel], 1530 - 1540

Images

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Technical studies

04. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr
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Underdrawing

The Baptism of St Barbara by St John the Baptist [top left]

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed, yet loose and freehand underdrawing

- thin to somewhat broader lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines define the main contours and describe essential details and facial features; no representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- numerous corrections were made to forms during the painting process; small changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder or circle?

The Castigation of St Barbara

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid, black medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- relatively detailed and yet loose and freehand underdrawing

- thin to somewhat broader lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines define the main contours and describe the essential details as well as facial features; no representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- numerous corrections were made to forms during the painting process; numerous small changes (e.g. left arm of the man on the left side)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder or circle?

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2016]

  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_636Ba/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'St Barbara Altarpiece [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_smbGG_636Ba/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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