Lucretia

Lucretia

Titles

Lucretia

[http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/wandora/;13.02.2011]

Lucrezia

[Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988, No. 4]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein, Report 1993]
[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]
[Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988, No. 4]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a standing three-quarter length figure with an overcoat and a view of a landscape in the background.

Her face is inclined slightly to the left expressing sufferance and she stares into the far distance. In her right hand she holds a long dagger pointed against

The painting depicts Lucretia as a standing three-quarter length figure with an overcoat and a view of a landscape in the background.

Her face is inclined slightly to the left expressing sufferance and she stares into the far distance. In her right hand she holds a long dagger pointed against her breast and in her left hand she elegantly holds the transparent veil. It is wrapped around her waist covering her vulva, but it doesn't hide it because it is transparent. In addition there is a dark red overcoat draped around her as if it had just slipped off her shoulders. She wears a heavy chain and a neckband and her hair is pinned up under a net bonnet decorated with pearls. The background is dark, but a window on the left indicates that she is standing in a room. From the window there is a view into a mountainous landscape with a small town.

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretica had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]
[Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988, No. 4]
[http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/wandora/;13.02.2011]

Production date
1530

Production date

1530

[ dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 38 x 24.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 38 x 24.5 cm

  • [Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

  • [Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988, No. 4]

  • [http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/wandora/;13.02.2011]

Signature / Dating

Artist`s insignia left edge, underneath the window: winged serpent (with elevated wings) and date '1530'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist`s insignia left edge, underneath the window: winged serpent (with elevated wings) and date '1530'

  • [Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988, No. 4]

  • [Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

Owner
Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki
Repository
Sinebrychoffin Taidemuseo, Helsinki
Location
Helsinki
CDA ID
FIN_FNG_S-1994-224
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/FIN_FNG_S-1994-224/

Provenance

  • at the end of the 18th century it was possibly in a private collection in Finland
  • later acquired by another finnish collector
    [Tuurnala et al. 1991, pp. 63-72]

Exhibitions

Helsinki 1988 - 1989, No. 4

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 36, 100, fn. 5, 103, 142 under nos. 2, 17
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Bierende 2002
AuthorEdgar Bierende
TitleLucas Cranach d.Ä. und der deutsche Humanismus. Tafelmalerei im Kontext von Rhetorik, Chroniken und Fürstenspiegeln
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication2002
Follak 2002
AuthorJan Follak
TitleLucretia zwischen positiver und negativer Anthropologie: Coluccio Salutatis Declamatio Lucretie und die Menschenbilder im exemplum der Lucretia von der Antike bis in die Neuzeit
Place of PublicationKonstanz
Year of Publication2002
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-opus-9144
Klein 1994 A 199 Tab. 8
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
Tuurnala et al. 1991 63-72
AuthorT. Tuurnala, A. Hautojärvi, Sirka Nurminen
TitleA factory of beautiful pictures? A physical study of three paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder
JournalRevue des archéologues et historiens d'art de Louvain
Issue24
Year of Publication1991
Pages63-72
Exhib. Cat. Helsinki 1988 No. 4
AuthorSinebrychofes Konstmuseum, Helsinki
EditorSirka Nurminen, Dan Holm
TitleLucas Cranach vanh
Place of PublicationHelsinki
Year of Publication1988

Research History / Discussion

This depiction of Lucretia is almost identical with in the painting FR 240Q in the collection of the Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, Berlin. A Lucretia in a private collection is also very similar (FR240K).

[Herrschaft, cda 2011]

  • Lucretia, 1530

Images

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Technical studies

08. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography
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  • created by Sinebrychofes Konstmuseum, Helsinki

08. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
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Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

An underdrawing is not readily visible.

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

  • photographed by Sinebrychofes Konstmuseum, Helsinki

18.01.1993Scientific analysis

  • / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

Plank I: 155 annual rings, 1523 - 1369

The panel is from the same tree as planks from the linked panels; the youngest annual ring from all the panels is from 1524; therefore the earliest felling date is 1524; following a two year seasoning period the panel could not have been used before 1526

[Klein report, 18.01.1993

  • analysed by Peter Klein

1991Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Ground and Imprimatura

'The gesso primer does not extend right to the edge of the panel, which means that the panel has been fixed to working or actual frame during painting.'

Underdrawing

'IR analyses failed to reveal any sketches.'

Paint Layers and Gilding

'The paint layer does not extend right to the edge of the panel like the ground.

The brush technique used in this painting is very fine and no brushstrokes are visible. Most colours have been pre-mixed on a palette with ground fine pigments. A multi-layer technique has been used to a certain extent. The paint layers though mainly thin still give full covering, albeit in certain areas they are also transparent. Impasto has been found on the jewellery and decoration areas.'

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

1991Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

- an underdrawing is not visible

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

1991Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

'On the basis of a comparison with the radiograph, no changes by the artist can be observed. Also no underdrawing is visible with IR.'

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

  • Bearbeiter/in Jana Herrschaft

1991Naturwissenschaftliche Materialanalyse

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

PIXE /PIGME:

Pigment analysis by PIXE/PIGME giving following results:

Filling material of the ground is pure chalk. Probably a thin lead white imprimatura is above.

The yellow pigment is lead tin yellow.

The earth pigments contain some iron-titanium compound as an impurity.

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

  • Bearbeiter/in Jana Herrschaft

Condition Reports

Date1991

'Aging has caused craquelure, especially in the skin areas.'

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

Conservation History

Date1991

'The painting has been restored only slightly. The upper edge of the sky has been restored and hairs have been painted on the fur at a later stage.'

[Tuurnala et al. 1991, 63-72]

Support made from the same tree

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/FIN_FNG_S-1994-224/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/FIN_FNG_S-1994-224/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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