Philipp Melanchthon

Title

Philipp Melanchthon

[cda 2018]

Painting on beech

Medium

Painting on beech

[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 11.2017]

The painting depicts a half-length portrait of the humanist and theologian Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) in three quarter profile, against a blue background. The scholar is wearing a black gown and a beret. His arm are folded.

[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 11.2017]

Attribution: Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)

[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 11.2017]

Production date: 1543

Production date

1543

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.4 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 20.1 x 14.4 cm
[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 11.2017]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the right above the shoulder: serpent with dropped wings and dated '1543'

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the right above the shoulder: serpent with dropped wings and dated '1543'

Owner: Kulturstiftung Hansestadt Lübeck, die Lübecker Museen
Repository: St. Annen-Museum, Lübeck
Location: Lübeck

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P211
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P211/

Provenance

in the collection of the theologian and philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911), since then remained with the family, finally with Marion Reinecke, Stuttgart (until 2017);
Senger Bamberg Kunsthandel (since 2017)
since October 2020 property of the St. Annen-Museum, Lübeck

Exhibitions

Lübeck 2021, no. 3

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Exhib. Cat. Lübeck 2021

174

003

Fig. p. 174

Editor	Dagmar Täube
Title	Lucas Cranach der Ältere und Hans Kemmer. Meistermaler zwischen Renaissance und Reformation [Lübeck, St. Annen-Museum]
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2021

Show Literature

Philipp Melanchthon, 1543

Images

Technical studies

11. 2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Stereomicroscopy
Infrared reflectography
UV-light photography
Instrumental material analysis

Support

- the panel consists of a single beech wood plank

- horizontal marks from the block plane used to roughly smooth the reverse

- the edges of the panel exhibit a broad bevel

- black coating applied to the reverse, probably original

- the panel was probably trimmed recently by c. 4 - 8 mm along the right, top and left edges

The wood species, the size and the tools marks all correspond with the common characteristics of panels used by Cranach's workshop about 1543.

Ground and Imprimatura

- white grouns, appears to be chalk based

- no barb

Underdrawing

- only a few isolated lines are visible in the infrared reflectogram. These were probably executed with a stylus; an attribution is not possible

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the following elements were detected with XRF analysis: lead (pigment identifed as lead white), quick silver (vermilion), copper (azurite), iron (iron oxide) and calcium (chalk/gypsum); the blue background contains lead (lead white) and copper (azurite)

[unpublished examination report, Heydenreich 17.11.2017]

11. 2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

- an underdrawing is not readily visible; the main contours were probably drawn with a stylus[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2019]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

Condition Reports

Date11. 2017

The wooden panel is in very good condition. The composition is only insignificantly compromised by the slight warp and trimmed edges.

The paint layers are also in good condition. Slight abrasion is visible in the hair, the signature and the date. There is some point retouching in the beret and in isolated other areas of the panel.

The varnish exhibits a yellow fluorescence and some whitish blooming can be observed at chest level of the sitter.

untersucht von Gunnar Heydenreich

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P211/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Philipp Melanchthon', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P211/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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