Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus

Title

[Sotheby's online database; http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en; accessed 20-03-2019]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en; accessed 20.03.2019]

Erasmus is half-length, facing to our left, hands clasped at his waist.

[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en; accessed 20.03.2019]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach der Ältere
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach der Ältere	[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en; accessed 20.03.2019]
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder	[cda 2024]

Production date: 1533

Production date

1533

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 18.6 x 14.4 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 18.6 x 14.4 cm
[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en accessed 20.03.2019]

Signature / Dating: Dated above the sitter's proper left shoulder '1533'

Signature / Dating

Dated above the sitter's proper left shoulder '1533'
[cda 2019]

Owner: Private Collection
Repository: Private Collection

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P249
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P249/

Provenance

by descent in the family of the present owner, probably since the 16th century
10.12.2015 sold by Sotheby's, London
[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en accessed 20.03.2019]

Research History / Discussion

Cranach and his workshop produced a good number of portraits of Erasmus, a highly popular and brilliant scholar who preached peace and tolerance during a time of great religious upheaval. Almost all of them are of this type: Erasmus is half-length, facing to our left, hands clasped at his waist. The majority, too, are on a small scale such as this. Cranach's composition is derived from Hans Holbein's famous depiction of the sitter, executed in 1523, now in a private collection.

[Sotheby's online database: http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/old-master-british-paintings-day-sale-l15037/lot.152.html?locale=en; accessed 20.03.2019]

Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus, 1533

Images

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P249/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P249/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.