Christ and the Adulteress

Title

[cda 2019]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2017]

‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’ With these words Christ rebuffs the men who have gathered to hear him condemn the sinner and justify her execution. The punishment for adultery was stoning. One of the men already has a sack of stones to hand. The figures push towards the centre of the image and Jesus, who clasps the woman’s wrist, is the calming element at the centre of the turmoil.

Attribution: Copy after Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attribution

Copy after Lucas Cranach the Younger

[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 2017]

Production date: after 1550

Production date

after 1550

[cda 2019]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 76 × 126.4 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 76 × 126.4 cm
[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 2017]

Signature / Dating: None

Owner: Cranach-Stiftung, Wittenberg
Repository: Cranach-Stiftung, Wittenberg

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P312
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P312/

Provenance

private collection, Switzerland
[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2017]

Research History / Discussion

The depicted scene ‚Christ and the Adulteress‘ has survived in many variants from the Cranach workshop. This work is very similar to for example the versions [US_ChrMA_71-484] and [DE_MHK_GK1023].

[unpublished examination report G. Heydenreich, 2017]

Christ and the Adulteress, after 1550

Images

Technical studies

01. 2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

An underdrawing is not readily visible; occasional lines are visible in places

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2020]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
photographed by Ingo Sandner

2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Stereomicroscopy
Infrared reflectography
X-radiography
UV-light photography
Instrumental material analysis

Support

The support consists of two c. 2 cm thick hardwood planks, probably oak. The joints are reinforced with three wood inserts and three dovetail inserts on the reverse. The edges are bevelled. The reverse is stained dark brown.

Underdrawing

The infrared reflectography (900 – 1700 nm) did not reveal an underdrawing. The grey values in the infrared reflectography (dependent to an extent on the use of carbon black) differ from those found on verified works by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the Younger and the workshop.

Paint Layers and Gilding

The x-radiograph does not suggest that there is another composition beneath the portrait. No major corrections were made during the painting process.

Using XRF analysis elements were detected in the paint and in combination with their optical charateristics the following pigments were identified:

yellow: Pb: lead white/ red lead; Fe: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

white: Pb: lead white/ red lead; Co: smalt; Fe: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

flesh paint: Pb: lead white/ red lead; Co: smalt; Fe, Mn: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

Braun: Pb: lead white/ red lead; Hg: vermilion; Fe: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

Blau: Pb: lead white; Co, As, Ni: smalt; Cu: azurite, copper green; Fe, Mn: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

Rot: Pb: lead white/ red lead; Hg; vermilion; Fe: ochre; Ca: chalk/ gypsum; Zn: ?

The identified pigments (lead white/ red lead, vermilion, ochre, smalt, copper blue/- green?) were often used in European panel painting and also in the Cranach workshop from about 1545 (smalt). No lead-tin-yellow was found in the yellow areas. In the Cranach workshop yellow areas were usually executed using lead-tin-yellow.

The quality of the painting in this work is inferior to verified Cranach paintings.

The x-radiograph of this painting is also quite different from those of Cranach paintings as are the grey values in the infrared reflectogram and it may be assumed that this painting was created employing a technique different from the usual practice in the Cranach workshop.

[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2017]

Condition Reports

Date2017

The panel is in a stable condition. The joint on the right hand side is partially open. A split or joint is visible parallel to the upper edge. Small reinforcing dowels are visible here in the x-radiograph. The paint layers exhibit small losses and dark retouches.

[unpublished examination report, G. Heydenreich, 2017]

examined by Gunnar Heydenreich
examined by Diana Blumenroth

Versions

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P312/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P312/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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