Christ blessing the Children

Christ blessing the Children

Title

Christ blessing the Children

[cda 2022]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Louvre online database, accessed 12.09.2022]

Christ is depicted at the centre of the composition hemmed in by infants and young women in courtly renaissance attire. He looks out at the viewer while holding an infant in his arms. A male head to Christ’s left probably represents one of the disciples whose desire to shield Christ

Christ is depicted at the centre of the composition hemmed in by infants and young women in courtly renaissance attire. He looks out at the viewer while holding an infant in his arms. A male head to Christ’s left probably represents one of the disciples whose desire to shield Christ was over-ruled. Behind him another male head is visible, which could be a self-portrait of the artist cleverly included within the composition. This subject, which was rarely depicted before the 16th century occupied a central role in reformation iconography.

[cda 2022]

Attribution
Master HB (with a griffin's head)

Attribution

Master HB (with a griffin's head)

[Louvre online database, accessed 12.09.2022]

Production date
about 1525 - 1550

Production date

about 1525 - 1550

[Louvre online database, accessed 12.09.2022]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 73 x 59.8 cm

Dimensions

Signature / Dating

none

Inscriptions and Labels

none Reverse of cradle: - first batten from the left: oval paper label (red)

  • fifth batten from the left: paper …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • none

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of cradle: - first batten from the left: oval paper label (red)

    • fifth batten from the left: paper label with blue border lines, handwritten in black ink: 'MNR 521 [underlined in red] // 18 // Cranach [crossed out] (faux) // Presentetion d'enfant // ou // groupe de [circle containing cross] // personnages'; below, handwritten numbers '[??]'
    • sixth batten from the left: handwritten in pencil: '4887'

  • Revers of the frame:

    • upper member: in white paint: '24'; paper label, handwritten in ink '[...] // 20'
    • left member: paper label with blue border, handwritten in ink: 'ENAI // AGBB // NBGB // 72 x 57 '/'; below: paper label with blue border, handwritten in ink: '640 // F[...]aligio // Patr[...] omn[...] // 96 [...] 16 // Ital[...] nd // - 10 [...] XV.'; at the bottom: white rectangular piece of paper
    • lower member: right corner paper label, handwritten: '62'
Owner
Musées Nationaux Récupération, France
Repository
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Location
Paris
CDA ID
FR_MNR_521
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/FR_MNR_521/

Provenance

  • the panel was bought on 26.03.1944 from a private collection in France for 1 600 000 F by Théo Hermsen for Herbst [1]
  • Vienna, Dorotheum
  • acquired on the 31.05.1944 by the museum in Linz [2]
  • registered at the Central Collecting Point, Munich under the no. 4887
  • in 1950 the panel was deposited in the Louvre by l'Office des Biens et Intérêts Privés (OBIP - Office for Personal Property and Interests)
  • 27.08.1964 it was filed as moveable cultural heritage by order of the ministry for cultural affairs [3]
  • on the 23.03.1970 its status as moveable cultural heritage ceased by order of the ministry for cultural affairs [4]
  • this status was reinstated on the 06.03.1985 by order of the ministry for cultural affairs [5]
  • the panel is on permanent loan in the department of paintings in the musée du Louvre

[1] Bundesarchiv BAK B323/565
[2] Bundesarchiv BAK B323/565
[3] SMF, art recovery record: order by the ministery for cultural affairs, 27.08.1964
[4] SMF, art recovery record: order by the ministery for cultural affairs, 23.03.1970
[5] SMF, art recovery record: order by the ministery for cultural affairs, 06.03.1985

[Louvre online database, accessed 12.09.2022]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Paris 2013 105 - 158; 128, 156
AuthorElisabeth Foucart-Walter
TitleCatalogue des peintures britanniques, espagnoles, germaniques, scandinaves et diverses du musée du Louvre, Italie, Espagne, Allemagne, Grande-Bretagne et divers
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication2013
Show Literature
Lesné, Roquebert 2004 50
AuthorClaude Lesné, Anne Roquebert
TitleCatalogue des peintures MNR
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication2004
Show Literature
Cat. Paris 1981 31
AuthorJacques Foucart, Dominique Thiebaut
TitleCatalogue sommaire illustré des peintures du musée du Louvre, Italie, Espagne, Allemagne, Grande-Bretagne et divers
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication1981
Show Literature
Kunze 1941 212 Fig. p. 210
AuthorIrene Kunze
TitleDer Meister H B mit dem Greifenkopf. Ein Beitrag zur Brosamer-Forschung.
JournalZeitschrift des deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft
Issue8, Heft 3/4
Year of Publication1941
Link http://biblio.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/cranach/Record/BSZ-PPN364080329
Pages209-238
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The composition of this painting is almost the same as a version that was formerly in the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, Berlin [DE_smbGG-Lost_2126]. Two more similar versions attributed to the same artist are known: [DE_BDDM_M00524] and [PRIVATE_NONE-P236].

[cda 2022]

  • Christ blessing the Children, about 1525 - 1550

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall

Condition Reports

Date2022

Cradled

[see Louvre online database, accessed 12.09.2022]

Versions

Christ Blessing the Children
  • Christ Blessing the Children, 1548
  • DE_smbGG-Lost_2126
  • Painting
  • Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, Berlin

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ blessing the Children', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/FR_MNR_521/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ blessing the Children', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/FR_MNR_521/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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