Johann Friedrich 'the Magnanimous'

Johann Friedrich "the Magnanimous"

Title

Johann Friedrich "the Magnanimous"

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Cranach painted the Duke of Saxony, Johann Friedrich, 'the Magnanimous' (1503-1554), at the height of his political powers. This portrait was probably intended for some high official of the electoral court of Saxony. The artist depicts the Duke with a corpulent appearance and dressed in Northern style. His condition as

Cranach painted the Duke of Saxony, Johann Friedrich, 'the Magnanimous' (1503-1554), at the height of his political powers. This portrait was probably intended for some high official of the electoral court of Saxony. The artist depicts the Duke with a corpulent appearance and dressed in Northern style. His condition as elector of Saxony is emphasized by various elements, such as the letter 'S' embroidered in pearls on his ruff collar, the sumptuous chain with a pendent, and the fur clothing.

Cranach worked for Johann Friedrich on several occasions, making portraits for court members between 1532 and 1533. These works always satisfied the image of power demanded of them, and that is the principal characteristic of most of his portraits. Moreover, in his portraits, the artist usually captures his models' personalities with admirable veracity, as can be seen here in the mixture of pride and authority that emanate from this image of the Saxon elector.

[http://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gallery/obra/johann-friedrich-ldquothe-magnanimousrdquo/]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[cda 2013]

Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Production date
1533

Production date

1533

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 20 x 14 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 20 x 14 cm

  • [Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder: winged serpent with elevated wings facing right and dated '1533'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder: winged serpent with elevated wings facing right and dated '1533'; in black paint

  • [cda 2013]

Inscriptions and Labels

Verso: - top left corner:
red wax seal (serpent ?)

  • centre:
    painted on paper: alliance coats-of-arms
  • bottom:
    paper attached to the …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Verso: - top left corner:

  • red wax seal (serpent ?)

    • centre:

  • painted on paper: alliance coats-of-arms

    • bottom:

  • paper attached to the reverse with a handwritten inscription in black '[F]asque!'; in red chalk: '132 [?]'

  • [cda 2013]

Owner
Museo Nacional del Prado
Repository
Museo Nacional del Prado
Location
Madrid
CDA ID
ES_MNdP_P07798
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MNdP_P07798/

Provenance

  • acquired 2002
    [Museo Nacional del Prado, revised 2013]
  • Johann Friedrich "the Magnanimous", 1533

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Technical studies

2013Technical Examination

Support

- single wooden panel

- original size may have been trimmed slightly

- reverse original condition; thickness 0.3-0.4 cm

- smoothed

- black coating on the reverse with a c. 0.5 cm bare wooden boarder

- painted ribbons link the alliance coat-of arms painted on paper attached to the reverse

Ground and Imprimatura

- off-white ground

- incised lines c. 0.5 cm from the edge

Underdrawing

- traced fine lines visible to the naked eye

- dry drawing material, probably dark chalk

Paint Layers and Gilding

Sequence of layers:

- blue background applied; head and shoulders held in reserve

- thin layer of brown paint for the fur and the head applied broadly with a brush; details added subsequently with fine paint brush, single hairs extending over the painted blue background, grey and black single hairs applied to the fur stola (some of these are overpaint and were added later)

- slight bulging of the paint along the edge in the area of the hands

Framing

- frame not original

[cda 2013]

09.04.2008Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared photography
  • photographed by Museo Nacional del Prado

Condition Reports

Date2013

  • original size may have been trimmed slightly

  • marks from old frame fittings top, bottom and side

  • some old overpaint and retouching

[cda 2013]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Johann Friedrich "the Magnanimous"', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MNdP_P07798/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Johann Friedrich "the Magnanimous"', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/ES_MNdP_P07798/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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