Judith with the head of Holofernes

Title

[cda 2016]

Painting on pine wood

Medium

Painting on pine wood

[Klein report, 2013]

The Old Testament heroine is shown in a red dress standing behind a balustrade upon which she has placed the severed head of the Commander Holofernes. She still holds the sword in her right hand. The background is dark.

Attributions: Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder	[letter D. Koepplin in the Archive D. Koepplin, 08.2009] [letter G. Heydenreich to D. Koepplin in the Archive D. Koepplin, 11.2009]
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder	'Nachfolge L. Cranach d. Ä.' [Copy of Auct.-Cat. Neumeister, Münchener Kunstauktionshaus, Auction 227, Lot 425 in the Archive D. Koepplin, 1985]

Production date: after 1600

Production date

after 1600

[cda 2016]
'Early 17th century'
[Copy of Auct.-Cat. Neumeister, Münchener Kunstauktionshaus, Auction 227, Lot 425 in the Archive D. Koepplin, 1985]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 85 x 52.8 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 85 x 52.8 cm
[handwritten annotation by D. Koepplin on the reverse of a photograph in the Koepplin Archive, c. 2009]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the bottom left: serpent

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom left: serpent

Inscriptions and Labels

on the reverse: former inventory nos.: 'AS', 'Z 17' and 'No. Z 86'
[Copy of Auct.-Cat. Neumeister, Münchener …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

- on the reverse: former inventory nos.: 'AS', 'Z 17' and 'No. Z 86'
[Copy of Auct.-Cat. Neumeister, Münchener Kunstauktionshaus, Auction 227, Lot 425 in the Koepplin archive, 1985]

Owner: Private Collection
Repository: Private Collection

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P147
FR (1978) Nr.: FR230C
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P147/

Provenance

22.03.1917 auction H. Kaven, Berlin, No. 64
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 116, No. 230C]
08.05.1985 at Neumeister, Münchener Kunstauktionshaus, Auction 227, Lot 425
[Copy of Auct.-Cat. Neumeister in the Koepplin archive, 1985]
private collection, Lower Rhein
[letter D. Koepplin in the Koepplin archive, 08.2009]

Research History / Discussion

The painting is nearly identical to the depiction of Judith in Vienna (GG858), which is the same size. However, the present painting does exhibit some weaknesses untypical of Cranach. The use of pine wood is unusual.

[Letter from D. Koepplin in the Koepplin archive, 08.2009]

Judith with the head of Holofernes, after 1600

Images

Technical studies

05. 2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry, black drawing material, dark chalk, stylus

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing, probably after a pre-existing design

- fine lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines define the main contours and describe essential details within forms as well as facial features; areas of shadow and light are encircled

Deviations:

- hardly any corrections were made to forms during the painting process; no changes

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- free copy after AT_KHM_GG858

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

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

2009Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography
UV-light photography
Micro-sampling / cross-sections
Instrumental material analysis

Support

- the pine wood panel is 15 mm thick

- 2 planks

- bevelled edges

- two moveable cross members on the reverse

Ground and Imprimatura

- relatively thin, pale ground

Underdrawing

- infrared reflectography shows an underdrawing

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the painting was built up in glazes, an impasto application is only evident where admixtures with white were employed

- the following pigments were identified using EDX analysis:

white: lead white

red: red ochre, red lead, vermilion

brown: brown ochre, umbra

yellow: yellow ochre

black: bone black

- the binding medium in the paint layers is oil

[Examination Report, Mikroanalytisches Labor Dr. Jägers Bornheim, 03.2009]

Conservation History

Date08. 2009

The severed neck was temporarily overpainted with a bowl as is illustrated by a photograph from the Kaven auction in 1917. When the painting was auctioned again in 1985 it had already been removed.

[Illustration and letter from D. Koepplin, Koepplin archive, 08.2009]

Versions

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Judith with the head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P147/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Judith with the head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P147/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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