The Virgin with the Christ Child, Saint John and Angels

The Virgin with the Christ Child, Saint John and Angels

Title

The Virgin with the Christ Child, Saint John and Angels

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

One of Cranach's customary compositions with the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child on her lap. Jesus takes some grapes from the hands of young Saint John while three angels hold a finely wrinkled red cloth behind them, forming a sort of canopy. A landscape at the upper left of

One of Cranach's customary compositions with the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child on her lap. Jesus takes some grapes from the hands of young Saint John while three angels hold a finely wrinkled red cloth behind them, forming a sort of canopy. A landscape at the upper left of the painting recalls the artist's training in the Danube school.

This work is outstanding for its firm drawing, the predominance of line over color and the elegant play of curves, counter-curves and undulations in the characters' hair. The light dilutes some profiles and slight sfumato effects create a certain degree of melancholy in the midst of this joyous scene.

[http://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gallery/obra/the-virgin-with-the-christ-child-saint-john-and-angels/]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Production date
1536

Production date

1536

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 121.3 x 83.4 x 0.6 cm (thinned and cradled; coated on the reverse with a later greenish grey application)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 121.3 x 83.4 x 0.6 cm (thinned and cradled; coated on the reverse with a later greenish grey application)

  • [Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on the left on the wall: winged serpent with elevated wings facing right and dated '1536'; in yellow paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on the left on the wall: winged serpent with elevated wings facing right and dated '1536'; in yellow paint

  • [cda 2013]

Inscriptions and Labels

Verso on the cradle: - second vertical batten,
in blue marker: 'P7440'

[cda 2013]

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Verso on the cradle: - second vertical batten,

  • in blue marker: 'P7440'

  • [cda 2013]

Owner
Museo Nacional del Prado
Repository
Museo Nacional del Prado
Location
Madrid
CDA ID
ES_MNdP_P07440
FR (1978) Nr.
FR228G
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MNdP_P07440/

Provenance

  • Collection of Duquesa de Valencia, Madrid
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932, 65, No. 189i]
  • acquired 1988
    [Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 228G
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 65 189i
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
  • The Virgin with the Christ Child, Saint John and Angels, 1536

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Technical studies

2013Technical Examination

Support

- Wood

- four vertical planks

- butt joined

Ground and Imprimatura

- white ground (probably chalk/glue mixture)

- traces of an incised line are visible along the edge at the top of the left side

Underdrawing

- some traces visible along the contour of St John's robe; arm of St John; foot of Christ; fine line over the right eyebrow of the Virgin and along the contour of her nose

Paint Layers and Gilding

- sequence: flesh paint held in reserve blue paint of robe applied; final adjustments made to contours; typical painting sequence

- red robe modelled in red with shadows applied in dark red glaze or black highlights in pure red wings of the angels simple blocked in area of colour, single feathers defined with very fine yellow lines; similar execution of St John's fur robe over a thin brown glaze

  • - applied with brushes of varying widths from broad to fine pointed brush

- draperies appear somewhat flat (damaged and overpainted)

- thin applications of paint

- drying cracks visible in the brown glazes

- black line along the top and bottom

Framing

- frame not original

[cda 2013]

1982Technical examination / Scientific analysis

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

Pigment analysis

Cross-sections:

Flesh paint:

- ground layer

- size/priming layer

- lead white with a small addition of vermilion and earth pigments

- possible second layer painted wet-in-wet

XRF –KEVEX (pigment analysis)

Red curtain: Pb, Fe, Ca

Blue: Cu, Pb

Flesh paint: Pb, C, Fe, Ca

[Curatorial file, Museo Nacional del Prado, 1982]

  • analysed by Museo Nacional del Prado

1982Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

Kr: 30 MA: 10

Time 1 min ½

Distance: 1m

Material- Kodak x-omat

2 Plates 43 x 35 cm

x-radiography reveals areas of loss in the area of the middle angels left knee (this area has been extensively overpainted)

[Curatorial file, Museo Nacional del Prado, 1982]

  • created by Museo Nacional del Prado

Condition Reports

Date2013

  • thinned and cradled on the reverse with a later greenish grey application

  • the panel may have been trimmed slightly either side (confirmation requires further investigation)

  • draperies appear somewhat flat (damaged and overpainted)

[cda 2013]

Date18.02.1983

see pdf

  • probably thinned and cradled because of extensive wood worm damage in the panel

[del Carmen Garrido, Curatorial file, Museo Nacional del Prado, 1983]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'The Virgin with the Christ Child, Saint John and Angels', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MNdP_P07440/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
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