The Adoration of the Shepherds [central panel]

Title

[Sotheby's, Munich, 5 Oct 2005, lot 27; http://www.sothebys.com/de/auctions/ecatalogue/2005/property-from-the-royal-house-of-hanover-mm0986/lot.27.html#; accessed 30 Aug 2017]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Heydenreich 2016, 147]
[Klein Report, 01.12.2013]

The Virgin and Joseph kneel in front of the infant Christ who is surrounded by angels in an open stable building with a wooden gable. The Holy family, like the shepherds kneeling in front of the building, is not in scale with the architecture. Through a door opening the annunciation to the Shepherds, an earlier event, is visible in the far distance. In the sky that is gradually becoming light the star, which would lead the three Kings to Bethlehem, is visible as well as a group of four angels.

Attribution: Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop

Attribution

Anonymous Master from the Cranach Workshop

'responsible for the Mittenwald retable' [Heydenreich 2016, 147-149]

Production date: 1516

Production date

1516

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 92.5 x 70.5 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 92.5 x 70.5 cm
[Sotheby's, Munich, 5 Oct 2005, lot 27; http://www.sothebys.com/de/auctions/ecatalogue/2005/property-from-the-royal-house-of-hanover-mm0986/lot.27.html; accessed 23 Feb 2016]

Signature / Dating: Dated at the bottom with '1516'

Signature / Dating

Dated at the bottom with '1516'
[cda 2017]

Owner: Private Collection
Repository: Private Collection

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P142a
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P142a/

Connected Works

Provenance

Property of the Royal House of Hanover
Sotheby's, Munich, 5 Oct 2005, lot 27
[Sotheby's, Munich, 5 Oct 2005, lot 27; http://www.sothebys.com/de/auctions/ecatalogue/2005/property-from-the-royal-house-of-hanover-mm0986/lot.27.html#; accessed 23 Feb 2016]
Private Collection

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Heydenreich 2016

147-149

9, 12a, 13a/b, 14b

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Das Mittenwalder Retabel (1514). Die Malerei im Spiegel der Cranach-Forschung
Publication	in, Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum ed., Flügelaltäre um 1515 - Höhepunkte mittelalterlicher Kunst in Brandenburg und in den Nachbarregionen
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	2016
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7616/7870/1703/Heydenreich_2016_Das_Mittenwalder_Retabel.pdf
Pages	138-153

Show Literature

Auct. Cat. Munich 2005

Editor	Sotheby's Auction House, London
Title	Property from the Royal House of Hanover, Munich, 05 Oktober 2005 - 15 Oktober 2005
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2005

Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The painter of this retable was trained in Cranach‘s workshop and sourced inspiration from his collection of templates and preparatory material. He also drew on Dürer prints as a basis for his compositions. Results of a technical examination of the painting do not indicate that it was executed in the Wittenberg workshop. As Friedrich III is represented on this painting future research should concentrate on finding out more about this particular commission and attempt to establish the relationship of the artist responsible for the Mittenwald Retable (http://lucascranach.org/DE_MKM_NONE-MKM001C) with the elector of Saxony.

[see Heydenreich 2016, 149-150]

The Adoration of the Shepherds [central panel], 1516

Images

Documents

Technical studies

2015Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid black medium, brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin to somewhat broader lines; possibly some washes

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lively lines delineate the main contours, describe essential details and facial features, no representation of volume with hatching-strokes

Deviations:

- very few corrections were made to forms during the painting process; small changes for example the angels in the sky, the faces of the shepherds, the angels surrounding Christ

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- painter of the Mittenwald Retable

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2017]

01.12.2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

PRIVATE_NONE-P142a_FR-none_2013_Examination-report.pdf

Support

Identification of wood species: limewood

[Klein Report, 01.12.2013]

examined by Peter Klein

02. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

UV-light photography

2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

04.09.2007Technologische Untersuchung / Naturwissenschaftliche Materialanalyse

Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Bildträger

Limewood

[Examination report, Peter Klein, 04. Sept. 2007]

examined by Peter Klein

Conservation History

Date2008

PRIVATE_NONE-P142a_FR-none_2008_Conservation-report.pdf

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'The Adoration of the Shepherds [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P142a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'The Adoration of the Shepherds [central panel]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P142a/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.