Lucretia

Titles

Lucretia	[cda 2013]
Lukretia	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1976, 666f., No. 586]
Lukrezia	[Bayl 1964, 181, No. 149]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a full-length standing nude figure in a bedchamber. Lucretia's body is turned slightly towards the left side of the image, but her head - which she touches with her left hand - is inclined to the right. She turns the long dagger on herself with

A transparent veil is draped over her shoulders and is blown by a breeze to the left side of the image, covering her vulva, but its transparency does not conceal it. Her hair is pinned up beneath a bonnet.

Lucretia does not wear jewellery just a band around her neck. In the background the interior of the bedchamber is visible: Lucretia stands in front of a curtain, a bed is indicated in the background on the right.

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1976, 666f., No. 586]
Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Bayl 1964, 181, No. 149]

Production dates: about 1540
1532

Production dates

about 1540	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1976, 666f., No. 586]
1532	[Bayl 1964, 181, No. 149]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 85 x 57 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 85 x 57 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]
2 Fuß 7 - Zoll x 1 Fuß 9 Zoll
[Schuchardt 1851, 107, No. 385]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia: winged serpent with dropped wings

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia: winged serpent with dropped wings
[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

Inscriptions and Labels

bottom left quarter:
Inscription (Baroque addition)

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

- bottom left quarter:
Inscription (Baroque addition)
[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

Owner: Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon
Repository: Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon
Location: Besançon

CDA ID: FR_MBAAB_222
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/FR_MBAAB_222/

Provenance

1851 recorded in the Gräflich Schönborn'schen Galerie, Pommersfelden (Schloss Weißenstein)
[Schuchardt 1851, Bd. II, 107, No. 385]
1919 recorded in the catalogue of the Museum in Besancon

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

Exhibitions

Basel 1974, No. 586

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Exhib. Cat. London 2007

18-32

Fig. 5

Editor	Caroline Campbell
Title	Temptation in Eden. Lucas Cranach's Adam and Eve , [London, Courtauld Institute Gallery]
Place of Publication	London
Year of Publication	2007

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

666-667

No. 586

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

Show Literature

Schuchardt 1851 C

107

385

Author	Christian Schuchardt
Title	Lucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Zweiter Theil
Place of Publication	Leipzig
Year of Publication	1851
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd2

Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The information given by Bayl about the provenance (Gemäldegalerie Vienna) and the date (1532) of the painting is incorrect.

[Handwritten annotation by D. Koepplin beside an illustration of the painting in his archive]

A similar positioning of the feet can be observed in ‘Venus and Cupid’ [FR398] and ‘Eve’ [FR356].

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

The Lucretia in the Museum of Schloss Gottorf evolved from the same prototype. It was also executed about 1540, but depicts a half-length figure wearing an overcoat. [DE_SHLM_1998-12_FR-none]

Two further depictions of Lucretia executed between 1526 – 37 also evolved from the same prototype. This is evident from the position of the head, the dagger and the left arm. [CH_KMB_1628_FR235 and DE_BStGS_13258_FR240G]

[Herrschaft, cda 2010]

D. Koepplin already recognized the curious yet meaningful iconography of the painting: Lucretia stabs herself in her bed-chamber, as indicated by the bed in the background. This painting is the only known depiction of Lucretia in her bed-chamber.

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 666f., No. 586]

[Herrschaft, cda 2010]

Lucretia, about 1540

Images

Technical studies

10. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

- an underdrawing is not readily visible; occasionally brushed lines executed in a dark drawing medium are visible along the contours

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

X-radiography

created by Le Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF)

UV-light photography

photographed by Le Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF)

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/FR_MBAAB_222/ (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/FR_MBAAB_222/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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