Christ taking Leave from the Apostels

Christ taking Leave from the Apostels

Title

Christ taking Leave from the Apostels

[cda 2017]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein Report, 06.11.1997]

Wood

[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]

With the words 'Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind.' (Mk 16, 15) Christ sends the apostles into the world shortly before his ascension. Grief over the parting, joyful expectation and silent sincerity in the face of the imminent task: Cranach masterfully represents a wide

With the words 'Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind.' (Mk 16, 15) Christ sends the apostles into the world shortly before his ascension. Grief over the parting, joyful expectation and silent sincerity in the face of the imminent task: Cranach masterfully represents a wide spectrum of emotions in this close-up depiction of the apostles. The close-up representation of the figures is juxtaposed with the expansive landscape in the background, which alludes to their future mission. Two of the apostles have already left the group and give each other a parting embrace in the middle ground. At the right edge Cranach includes the Reformer Philipp Melanchthon as one of the apostles and as such positions him at the biblical foundation of the gospel proclamation. Research has not paid enough attention to this panel that underlines the legitimacy of the message of the Reformation by associating it with Christ's disciples. Lucas Cranach the Younger develops this aspect further in the Epitaph for Fürst Joachim von Anhalt (1564, Marienkirche Dessau) where he replaced not only one but all of the apostles with protagonists of the Reformation.

[Görres, Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)
Lucas Cranach the Younger

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder (and Workshop)

[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Stockholm 1988, 87, No. 72]
'Lucas Cranach d.J.?' [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 144, No. 368]

Production date
about 1535-1540

Production date

about 1535-1540

[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 77 x 124 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 77 x 124 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 209, No. 115]

  • slight deviation at FR 1979: 84 x 121 cm [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 144, No. 368]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia: serpent (with dropped wings)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia: serpent (with dropped wings)

Inscriptions and Labels

None

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • None

Owner
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
Repository
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
Location
Stockholm
CDA ID
SE_NMS_NM254
FR (1978) Nr.
FR368
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/SE_NMS_NM254/

Exhibitions

Düsseldorf 2017, No. 115

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 209 No. 115
EditorGunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Cranach. Meister - Marke - Moderne", Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 08. April 2017 - 30. Juli 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Görres 2017 B 50
AuthorDaniel Görres
TitleDer Mönch und der Maler - Luther und Cranach als Vermittler eines neuen Glaubens
Publicationin Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Link https://lucascranach.org/application/files/4016/7870/1696/Goerres_2017_Der_Moench_und_der_Maler.pdf
Pages44-51
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 144 No. 368 Fig. 368
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
  • Christ taking Leave from the Apostels, about 1535-1540

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • irr

Technical studies

2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

An underdrawing is not readily visible, occasional fine lines are visible (e. g. on St Peter’s nose and the finger of the disciple at the far right)

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2018]

  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

06.11.1997Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: beech

The youngest annual ring is dated 1530. Therefore the panel can only have been created after 1533.

[Klein Bericht, 06.11.1997]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ taking Leave from the Apostels', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/SE_NMS_NM254/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ taking Leave from the Apostels', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/SE_NMS_NM254/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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