Portrait of Martin Luther

Title

[cda 2020]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[I. Sandner, Expertise, 20.10.2018]

A small format half-length portrait of Martin Luther, facing to our left against a blue background with his hands clasped in front of him. He is wearing a black beret and a black gown, and holds a small edition of the bible in his hands.

[cda 2020]

Attribution: Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

[I. Sandner, Expertise, 20.10.2018]

Production date: 1533

Production date

1533

[dated]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 19 x 15.24 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 19 x 15.24 cm
[I. Sandner, Expertise, 20.10.2018]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the left above the sitter's proper right shoulder: serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated above '1533'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the left above the sitter's proper right shoulder: serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated above '1533'; in black paint

Inscriptions and Labels: none Reverse of the panel: - paper label with blue frame, handwritten in brown ink: 'Christie's: April 11th 1906. …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

none

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

Reverse of the panel: - paper label with blue frame, handwritten in brown ink: 'Christie's: April 11th 1906. // CRANACH // Lot 82 - Portrait of Martin // Luther, in black dress & Cap, // holding a book. 71/4" x 51/2". // -588-'
- remnants of a paper label
- remains of a red wax seal
- round white cardboard label, printed: 'Gretton // Collection // 13'
- paper label, printed: 'G. A. Rose // Picture Cleaner and Restorer'
- paper label, printed: '23, PELHAM STREET, // S. Kensington Station, s. w.'

Owner: Private Collection
Repository: Private Collection

CDA ID: PRIVATE_NONE-P373
FR (1978) Nr.: FR-none
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P373/

Provenance

Christie's, London, 11.04.1906 (Miss Bevil)
[Mark Adams Fine Art, e-mail correspondance, 01.10.2018]

Portrait of Martin Luther, 1533

Images

Technical studies

20.10.2018Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Support

- beech wood

Underdrawing

- there is no evidence to suggest that the design was transferred employing the technique of pouncing

- the main lines (dark chalk) were executed freehand after a pre-existing design (portrait sketch on parchment); hatching strokes were not used to define volume

- lines drawn with a fine drawing implement are only visible in the ifrared reflectogram at the edge of the beret, the right cheek and the hands

[I. Sandner, Gutachten, 20.10.2018]

examined by Ingo Sandner

Condition Reports

Date20.10.2018

The paint layers appear to be in good condition with the exception of a few small retouches. Environmental conditions have caused extensive cracquelée in the face and gown. The quality and brightness of the painted image is somewhat compromised by a yellowed varnish of varying thickness.

[I. Sandner, Gutachten, 20.10.2018

examined by Ingo Sandner

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Portrait of Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P373/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Portrait of Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P373/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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