Nymph of the source

Nymph of the source

Title

Nymph of the source

[Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

Known for along time as 'The Reclining Diana' [...]. The cartel reveals the correct interpretation [...]. It implies that it is a represenation of a nymph of the source. If the subject of Diana is assimilated it does not impose, nevertheless [...] a certain kinship between the daughter of Zeus

Known for along time as 'The Reclining Diana' [...]. The cartel reveals the correct interpretation [...]. It implies that it is a represenation of a nymph of the source. If the subject of Diana is assimilated it does not impose, nevertheless [...] a certain kinship between the daughter of Zeus and the nymph can be imagined, because her attributes [...] are the same as those of the Goddess of Hunting [...] The artist cultivates an ambiguous description of the situation in which he presents the voluptuous reclining figure, [...], at once yielding and rebellious, precisely framed in a natural environment of acidic chromatism. He creates with brilliance an ambivalent situation, which conforms with the tastes in Germany at that time.

[Cat. Besançon 1992, 44]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

Lucas Cranach the Younger

' or the Elder.'

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 638, No. 547]

Production dates
about 1537
about 1540 - 1550

Production dates

about 1537

[Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

about 1540 - 1550

[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 638, No. 547]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 48.5 x 74.2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 48.5 x 74.2 cm

  • [Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia: winged serpent with dropped wings

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia: winged serpent with dropped wings

Inscriptions and Labels
  • at top left: 'FONTIS NYMPHA SACRI SOMNVM / NE RVMPE QVIESCO'

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • at top left:

  • 'FONTIS NYMPHA SACRI SOMNVM / NE RVMPE QVIESCO'

Owner
Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon
Repository
Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon
Location
Besançon
CDA ID
FR_MBAAB_896-1-56
FR (1978) Nr.
FR403C
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/FR_MBAAB_896-1-56/

Provenance

  • 1894 (Bequest Jean Gigoux)
    [Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie Besançon, revised 2014]

Exhibitions

Chicago 2001-2002
Amsterdam 2002

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 92, fn. 20 under no. 15
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
Show Literature
Wismer 2017 88, 89 Fig. 8
AuthorBeat Wismer
TitleCranach und die Moderne. Anmerkungen zur Cranach-Rezeption in der Kunst seit der frühen Moderne
Publicationin Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Pages82-91
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 198
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Arnoux 2007 69
AuthorMathilde Arnoux
TitleLes musées français et la peinture allemande 1871-1981
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. London 2007 18-32 Fig. 5
EditorCaroline Campbell
TitleTemptation in Eden. Lucas Cranach's Adam and Eve , [London, Courtauld Institute Gallery]
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Weid 2007 46
AuthorJean-Noël von der Weid
TitleLe nu dans l'art. L'apothéose des corps
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chicago 2001 330
AuthorDouglas W. Druick, Peter Kort Zegers
TitleVan Gogh and Gauguin. The studio of the South [The Art Institute, Chicago; Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam]
Place of PublicationNew York
Year of Publication2001
Show Literature
Cat. Besançon 1992 44
AuthorMatthieu Pinette, Françoise Soulier-François
TitleDe Bellini à Bonnard. Chefs-d'oeuvre de la peinture du Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de Besançon
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 403C
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 638 No. 547
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Paris 1965 78-79
AuthorRoselyne Bacou, Michel Laclotte, Germaine Barnaud, Jeannine Baticle
TitleLe XVIe siècle européen. Peintures et dessins dans les collections publiques françaises [Petit Palais, Paris]
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1965
Show Literature
Bayl 1964 181 No. 149
AuthorFriedrich Bayl
TitleDer nackte Mensch in der Kunst
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication1964
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Paris 1957 A 9-10
AuthorSylvie Beguin, Charles Sterling
TitleExposition de la collection Lehman de New York [Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris]
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1957
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Paris 1957 B 15
AuthorMarie-Lucie Cornillot, Lucien Lerat
TitleBesançon, le plus ancien musée de France [Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris]
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1957
Show Literature
Kurz 1953
AuthorOtto Kurz
TitleHuius Nympha Loci
JournalJournal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes
IssueVol. 16, n. 3/4
Year of Publication1953
Pages171-177
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 324c
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
Cat. Besançon 1929 24
AuthorAdolphe Chudant
TitleCatalogue des peintures et dessins du musée de Besançon. Collection Jean Gigoux, collection Pierre-Adrien Pâris, écoles anciennes
Place of PublicationBesançon
Year of Publication1929
Show Literature
Cat. Besançon 1902 10
AuthorPaul Lapret
TitleMusée Jean Gigoux à Besançon, Catalogue des peintures et des dessins
Place of PublicationBesançon
Year of Publication1902
Show Literature
  • Nymph of the source, about 1537

Images

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Technical studies

10. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid black drawing medium; brush (rarely visible) and pen?

Type/Ductus:

- freehand schematic underdrawing (where visible)

- thin lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; the lines define the contours of the figures (in the region of the left hand, along the leg and on the supporting arm); no representation of volume

Deviations:

- almost no adjustments were made during the painting process; small change: (e. g. the hand).

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger?

Comments:

- possible with reference to a pre-existing design

- the inscription was evidently executed employing two different ink types

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich cda 2014]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • created by Le Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF)
  • UV-light photography
  • uv_light
  • photographed by Le Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF)

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
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Entry with no author
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