Saint Christopher

Saint Christopher

Title

Saint Christopher

[Detroit Institute of Arts, revised 2013]

Painting on limewood

Medium

Painting on limewood

[Detroit Institute of Arts, revised 2013]
[Klein, Report 1999]

St Christopher is depicted in the centre of the painting and looks up at the Christ Child on his shoulders, who shows him the way. In both hands he holds a branch, that he uses to cross the river. A hermit stands on the left bank of the river, supporting

St Christopher is depicted in the centre of the painting and looks up at the Christ Child on his shoulders, who shows him the way. In both hands he holds a branch, that he uses to cross the river. A hermit stands on the left bank of the river, supporting himself with a stick and holding a lantern in his hand.

In the foreground a mermaid swims in the river, which flows through a landscape.

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Detroit Institute of Arts, revised 2013]

Production date
1518 - 1520

Production date

1518 - 1520

[Detroit Intitute of Arts, revised 2013]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 41.9 x 27.9 cm (16 1/2 x 11 in.)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 41.9 x 27.9 cm (16 1/2 x 11 in.)

  • Dimensions including frame: 44.45 x 29.85 x 4.14 cm (17 1/2 x 11 3/4 x 1 5/8 in.)

  • [Detroit Institute of Arts, revised 2013]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the bottom left on the stump of the tree: winged serpent with elevated wings facing left; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the bottom left on the stump of the tree: winged serpent with elevated wings facing left; in black paint

  • [cda 2013]

Owner
Detroit Institute of Arts
Repository
Detroit Institute of Arts
Location
Detroit
CDA ID
US_DIA_61-397
FR (1978) Nr.
FR110
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/US_DIA_61-397/

Provenance

  • Berlin, Collection Baron Mecklenburg, 1883
  • Berlin, auction Freiherr von Mecklenburg, June 3, 1919, lot. 73
  • London, Auction Garnier (Christie's) July 27, 1928, lot 40; New York, private collection
  • Berlin, art market
  • Potsdam, private collection (1932)
  • Munich and New York, Boehler and Steinmeyer (dealers)
  • New York, Howard Young Galleries (dealer)
  • Detroit, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fisher, by whom given to the DIA in 1961

[Detroit Institute of Arts, revised 2013]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 56, fn. 10 under no. 7
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 110
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
DIA 1965 14
Authorn. a.
TitleThe Institute Collects
JournalBulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts
IssueDec. 8, 1964-Jan. 3, 1965
Year of Publication1965
Pages14
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. New York 1939 No. 62
AuthorGeorge Henry McCall
EditorW[ilhelm]. R[einhold]. Valentiner
TitleMasterpieces of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture from 1300-1800, [New York World's Fair, May to October]
Place of PublicationNew York
Year of Publication1939
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 097
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature
  • Saint Christopher, 1518 - 1520

Images

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Documents

Technical studies

25.06.1999Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: limewood

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Saint Christopher', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/US_DIA_61-397/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
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