Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery

Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery

Title

Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery

[Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998, 303-304]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998, 303-304]

Christ, who is in the centre of the image, holds the wrist of the adulteress and points at her with two fingers of his right hand. He looks towards the group of five men on the left side of the painting. They have already prepared themselves for the stoning. The

Christ, who is in the centre of the image, holds the wrist of the adulteress and points at her with two fingers of his right hand. He looks towards the group of five men on the left side of the painting. They have already prepared themselves for the stoning. The soft features of Christ contrast with the angry, distorted features of the man at the front of this group. Four of the apostles are shown behind Christ and the adulteress. The scene, which takes place against a dark background, is brought closer to the viewer by the chosen composition.

[Görres, cda 2012]

Attributions
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Heydenreich, cda 2012]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998, 303-304]

Production dates
about 1600 or later
1531

Production dates

about 1600 or later

[Heydenreich, cda 2012]

1531

[dated, not original]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 92.5 x 121.5 x 1.2-1.3 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 92.5 x 121.5 x 1.2-1.3 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998, 303-304]

  • [Leif Einar Plahter, written correspondence, 29.01.1999]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia above Christ's head: winged serpent facing right

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia above Christ's head: winged serpent facing right

  • [Exhib. Cat. Bremen 2009, No. 22]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • top edge: 'WER VNTER EVCH OHNE SYNDE IST
    DER WERFFE DEN ERSTEN STEIN AVF SIE'

[Görres, cda 2012] Recto, …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • top edge:

  • 'WER VNTER EVCH OHNE SYNDE IST

  • DER WERFFE DEN ERSTEN STEIN AVF SIE'

  • [Görres, cda 2012]

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Recto, bottom right: '1795.' (?)

Owner
Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design, Oslo
Repository
Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design, Oslo
Location
Oslo
CDA ID
NO_NMO_NG-M-00172
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/NO_NMO_NG-M-00172/

Provenance

  • 1842 acquired by J.C. Dahl: "'Synderinden for Christus af Lucas Cranach', 10 Thaler 12 Groschen" (Dahls Ausgabebuch, National Library Oslo, Ms.fol. 2308, entry of 26.09.1842)
    [Tor Eigil Rossaak, e-mail correspondenz 21 July 2015]
  • acquired in 1846 from the collection of J. C. Dahls
    [Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998, 303-304]

Exhibitions

  • Oslo 1998, 303-304

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Oslo 1998 303-304
AuthorMarit Ingeborg Lange
TitleNasjonalgalleriets Første 25 År [Nationalgalleriet Oslo]
Place of PublicationOslo
Year of Publication1998
Show Literature
Schade 1974 74
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
  • Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery, about 1600 or later

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail
  • detail

Technical studies

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry, black medium; hard drawing implement, dark chalk

Type/Ductus:

- detailed, stiff underdrawing; in part copied or traced

- fine/thin lines; at times reinforced

- square grid employed to transfer the composition from a pre-existing design

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; the lines delineate the main contours, describe essential details within the forms and define facial features; little representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- minor adjustments to forms during the painting process; small changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder, copy after HU_SMB_146

Comments:

- a square grid was employed to transfer the composition

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

  • photographed by Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design, Oslo

Condition Reports

Date29.01.1999

Summary:

  • seven horizontal boards, thickness 1.2 - 1.3 cm

  • wood is thougt to be lime

  • on the back joints have been strengthened by dove tails, six on either side

  • some kind of animal fibers have been glued over the joints

  • ground is unusual: it contains mainly lead white (no chalk has been identified) in a tempera-like medium

  • no fibers can be seen on the x-radiographs

  • pigments identified are: azurite, smalte, auripigment, yellow ochre, lead-tin yellow, red lead, vermilion, organic red, brown ironoxide, lamp black (?), lead white

  • written by Leif Einar Plahter

Versions

Jesus and the Woman caught in Adultery
  • Jesus and the Woman caught in Adultery, 1532
  • HU_SMB_146
  • Painting
  • Szépmuvészeti Múzeum, Budapest

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/NO_NMO_NG-M-00172/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/NO_NMO_NG-M-00172/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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