Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous from Diptych: Two Electors of Saxony

The panels are each formed from three thin boards of wood with grain running horizontally.

The backs of both panels are painted black. On NG6538 there is a later inscription in red which reads N27 28. Two shields are painted on the back of NG6539

The grounds of the obverses are of chalk. The reverses are painted directly on to the wood with no ground. There does not appear to be any priming.

- nothing that could be definitely identified as underdrawing was found with infrared reflectography.

The medium of the paint of the green background and black robe in NG6538, and of the green sleeve in NG6539, was identified by GC–MS analysis as linseed oil.[1] A sample of red paint from the pattern on the sleeves in NG6539 was found to contain linseed oil together with with a little pine resin.

Pigments

Verdigris forms the basis for the green background of Johann the Steadfast (NG6538). In the opaque underpaint it is mixed with lead white and lead-tin yellow, while in the final translucent layers it is used alone. Very similar green paint mixtures were used for the main colour of the costume of Johann Friedrich (NG6539). The intense red strips on the boy’s costume consist of vermilion of exceptional quality and the same pigment combined with red earth and black makes up the more brownish-red stripes. There are pale yellow highlights of lead-tin yellow on the gold chain. The basic pale pink tone of the flesh paint is a mixture of white and a little vermilion, with some black pigment in addition in the shadows.

Painting technique

In common with many pictures by Cranach the flesh is thinly painted. Details such as the twisted braids decorating Johann the Steadfast’s hat have been skilfully painted, with rapidly applied touches for the pearls and impasto yellow highlights for the gold, for example for the threads at the end, where the lighter green underpaint has been deliberately left exposed around them to indicate the overall shape of the tuft at the top right of the hat. Similarly, the feather is formed of wet-in-wet strokes of grey and black and has circular markings with the impasto typical of a bodied lead-tin yellow paint.

[1] There was no indication of heat-prepolymerisation of of the addition of resin.

The frames are original. The profiles, with their simple deep scotia moulding and raised outer edge enriched with a narrow half round, are similar to those found on other frames of works by Cranach of this period.[1] They are joined with a double mortise and tenon joint.[2] It can be seen in X-ray images that neither frame fits the panel exactly: there are gaps top and bottom, although the frames fit tightly on the left and right; however, this can be explained by the natural contraction across the grain of the panels, and is not any indication that the portraits were not originally in these frames.

The outer edges and the backs of the frames are painted black. The inner mouldings were originally gilded although what is now visible is mainly the golden-yellow oil mordant (adhesive) [3], and only fragments of the gold leaf remain. Traces of this mordant pass beneath the black background on NG6539 confirming that it is original and was already in place when the background was painted. On NG6538 there are traces of the original final translucent green paint of the background on the gold, indicating that it was applied when the frames were complete. However, painting of the portraits and decoration of the frames were probably carried out concurrently, since there are also traces of gold from the frame on top of the black background of NG6539 at the left edge The frames are joined with iron hinges and handmade iron nails; this was done after gilding as the tips of the nails are visible in the mouldings.[4]

[1] [Koepplin 1974]; [Heydenreich 2007 A, 76–9]

[2] [Heydenreich 2007 A, 76]

[3] FTIR analysis suggested that the binding medium of the mordant is oil.

[4] Ibid., p. 78; fig. 60, p. 80, shows the hinge.

[Susan Foister, ‘Lucas Cranach the Elder, Portrait of Johann the Steadfast and Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous’ published online 2015, from 'The German Paintings before 1800', London: forthcoming.

www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/research/lucas-cranach-the-elder-portraits-of-johann-the-steadfast-and-johann-friedrich-the-magnanimous]

DESCRIPTION

- An underdrawing is not readily visible; alterations are only visible in the neck along the line of the chin

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2017]

"Linseed oil was identified in green, red and black paints on the portraits of Johann the Steadfast and Johann Friedrich I the Magnanimous (1509) and there is no doubt that drying oils predominate in his panel painting."

[Heydenreich 2007, 169], [see also White, Pilc 1995, 88-89]

Sample No.: 2

Location of sample: inner edge of frame

Brief description of paint: very dark green paint. Probably original green paint – to confirm whether or not frame is original. Compare with S4

Observations:

Examination of unmounted fragment, reverse: possibly two layers green and varnish. Perhaps lead white and verdigris and some variety of yellow (lead-tin yellow or lake). Note passes over white, presumed chalk, ground.

Sample No.: 3

Location of sample: inner edge of frame

Brief description of paint: Black paint, probably original as S2. Compare with original background (S 5).

Observations:

Very fine black and coarser black mixture (probably charcoal).

NB S3 from 6539 is similar to S2 black tunic in NG 6538 with coarse and fine black pigments mixed.

Sample No.: 4

Location of sample:

Brief description of paint: Green of tunic. Compare with S2

Observations:

Yellowish green u/l. Probably stronger (solid) green on top. Also similar to S4 in NG 6538

Sample No.: 5

Location of sample:

Brief description of paint: Black of background to compare with S 3.

Observations:

Mainly fine black, trace coarser black and possibly also some red lake (?), trace mineral blue (probably azurite) check EDX. Goes over yellow mordant.

Sample No.: 7

Location of sample: lower edge, left

Brief description of paint: Green of tunic, and fragment of ground for XRD.

Observations:

Sample is filler and retouching.

EDX of white ground: Ca

Sample No.: 8

Location of sample: left-hand side.

Brief description of paint: Brown decorative stripe on sleeve

Observations:

Mixed brown for EDX. Coarse striated HgS and possibly Fe2O3 and black over mid-dark green with striated col. verdigris.

EDX of brown unmounted fragment: Hg, S, Si, Fe, Ca, K, Cu

Sample No.: 9

Location of sample:

Brief description of paint: Brighter red, seen through sleeve (paint as brighter stripes on tunic)

Observations: Fine and coarse vermilion, probably some discoloured vermilion (trace, vestige, of red lake glaze.

Sample No.: 10

Location of sample:

Brief description of paint: yellow of 'chain', miniscule pure sample for XRD (probably lead-tin yellow).

Sample No.: 6

Sample location: from edge of circular loss

Brief description of paint: miniscule sample of flesh of hand

Observations:

- thin white and trace vermilion (with a little yellowish glaze pigment incorporated) (see pdf for image)

Sample No.: 1

Sample location: lower right-hand side

Brief description of paint: traces of 'mordant' gilding from frame – probably original.

Observations:

- yellow translucent mordant gilding

EDX spectrum of mordant Si, Ca, Fe (Al, Pb, Cl, K, Cu)

'There is no evidence that the frame is not original but its construction and the presence of small patches of unpainted ground rather than broken ’barbe’ at the upper and lower edges indicate that the frame was assembled around the panel after it was painted and not before the application of the ground and the paint layers as was usually the case in the fifteenth century.'

[National Gallery Examination and Conservation Report 1995 (unpublished)]

- the support is a softwood panel. An examination to establish the species was not possible as the painting is fixed in the original frame. The wood is of high quality. It is a fine-grained wood, which does not exhibit any knots in the x-radiograph. The panel consists of three planks joined in the shortest direction of expansion (horizontal).

- the widths of the planks are c. 13.8 cm, 17.5 cm and 13 cm (12.8 cm)

- there is no reinforcement visible along the joins. The reverse has a very smooth finish. The edges of the panel are straight. The format of the panel has not been altered.

- the ground layer on the recto is white and relatively thinly applied

- there are numerous tiny bubbles in the chalk ground, which were sanded down. These appear consistently white in the x-radiograph and must therefore be filled with paint containing lead

- the barbe is preserved on all four sides, but is pronounced to a varying degree

- with respect to the imprimatura examination achieved the following results: ‚The tiny, sanded down bubbles in the chalk ground are filled with a medium that absorbs x-rays, and which is irrespective of the colour of the paint. This observation suggests an isolating layer with lead-containing oil or an imprimatura containing lead. In the cross-section (of the sample taken from the edge) an imprimatura could not be verified.’

- an underdrawing could not be detected employing infrared reflectography

- the flesh paint contains primarily lead white and relatively coarse vermilion (A. Roy, verbal communication). The flesh paint was applied with an initial pale flesh coloured tone and subsequently modulated with brown glazes. The highlights employing an admixture of white, red, single blue pigments and possibly some black were applied in part over the brown glaze and were then again shaded with greyish brown glazes. (This multiple layer structure is particularly visible in the area of the eyelids.)

- in the black and green areas of the painting a brush of c. 5 mm in width was employed

- original frame (mortise and tenon frame) with a steeply sloped rainsill. The dimensions of the frame are 49.3 x 38.6 cm. The members are 3.8 to 3.9 cm wide and 3.0 cm deep. The frame has a double mortise and tenon join.

- both panels are held together with the original iron hinge

- Coatings: the flat edge, the side edges and the reverse are black; the flute and the inner edge or the bottom champfer are gilded over a white ground and a yellowish or ocher coloured mordent. The mordent covers the background in places. According to a verbal communication by Ashok Roy the mordent on the frame is the same as that on the background and contains large quantities of Si (silicon), quantities of Fe (iron) and Ca (calcium) and some lead.’

[Gunnar Heydenreich, Examination Report, 1994 (unpublished)]

The frame exhibits the same profile and finish as that of Cranach’s portrait of Christoph Scheurl from 1509.

[see Koepplin, Falk, Exhib. Cat Basel 1974,Vol. 2, No. 596, 597]

Media analysis:

- results in the documentation file

[Susan Foister, National Gallery London, 12.05.2011]

The panels and frames have suffered worm damage, but are otherwise in good condition. The dull yellow paint on the frames is the exposed mordant or adhesive for the original gilding; only traces of gold leaf remain. The paint of NG6538 is in excellent condition, with only a few tiny flake losses. There may be some fading of a red lake pigment in the flesh paint of the sitter's hands. NG6539 has more small losses, from the green paint of the sitter's costume, along the grain of the wood, but is still in very good condition.

[Susan Foister, 'Lucas Cranach the Elder, Portrait of Johann the Steadfast and Portrait of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous' published online 2015, from 'The German Paintings before 1800', London: forthcoming.

www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/research/lucas-cranach-the-elder-portraits-of-johann-the-steadfast-and-johann-friedrich-the-magnanimous]

Support:

The panel and frame are of the same construction as NG 6538 and are similar in condition. In addition, the centre of the upper moulding of the frame has been splintered and damaged by a screw or nail driven in from the back.

Paint and ground: The paint and ground are also in similar condition to NG 6538 but with no sign of current blistering. However there are scattered small flake losses from the thick green paint of the costume. The discoloration of the final 'copper resinate' glazes is rather patchy and uneven and they may have been damaged slightly in a past cleaning.

Surface coating:

The painting has the same varnish and surface dirt layers as NG 6538.

Treatment proposed:

Remove surface dirt and discoloured varnish and retouchings. Consolidate and repair the frame. Revarnish and retouch where necessary.

[Examination made by Jill Dunkerton, 23 Feb 1995].

'The diptych has been preserved within the context of its original structure.`

[Dülberg 1990, 188]

Cleaned and restored by Jill Dunkerton, frame consolidated by Clare Keller

Detailed report:

The cleaning proceeded as in NG 6538, only here the retouching was found to be more discreet, limited mainly to the small flake losses along the grain of the panel. The same difference in paint texture and colour between the face and hands was apparent and so again a thin layer of probable surface dirt was left. The painting is equally well-preserved and painted with even greater speed and vigour: the corners are almost missed by the green glaze, in a gap between the twisted links of the chain no glaze was ever applied, leaving a triangle of pale green, and some of the black paint of the pentimento filling in the area between the sleeve and body barely covers the underlying green.

For the treatment of the frame see NG 6538. The disruption in the centre of the upper edge was found to be caused by an old and possibly original nail and so it was decided not to attempt its removal.

The restoration was carried out in the same way and using the same materials as NG 6538. Again care was taken not to reduce by retouching any of the vitality of the brushwork.

[Report by Jill Dunkerton, 5 July 1995]

• 1948 cleaned

[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974]