Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Title

Martin Luther

[Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

The painting depicts Martin Luther as a half-length figure against a blue background. He is shown in three-quarter profile facing right and has been shifted slightly to the left, off the central axis of the panel. Luther wears a black gown with high collar over a black tunic, which has

The painting depicts Martin Luther as a half-length figure against a blue background. He is shown in three-quarter profile facing right and has been shifted slightly to the left, off the central axis of the panel. Luther wears a black gown with high collar over a black tunic, which has a red ribbon at the neck and reveals the black fringed collar of a white shirt. Luther's plump facial features are characterized by a five o'clock shadow; his short curly hair oscillates between dark and light shades of grey.

[Görres, cda 2016]

Attribution
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

Production date
1546

Production date

1546

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 64.8 x 48.9 cm (25 1/2 x 19 1/4 in.)

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 64.8 x 48.9 cm (25 1/2 x 19 1/4 in.)

  • Dimensions including frame: 92.3 x 78 cm (36 5/16 x 30 11/16 in.)

  • [Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder: winged serpent with dropped wings and dated '1546'; in black paint

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia above the sitter's proper right shoulder: winged serpent with dropped wings and dated '1546'; in black paint

  • [cda 2014]

Inscriptions and Labels
  • at the top: 'D. MARTINVS LVTHERVS.'
    Inscribed by the museum conservators:
    'NATCEBATUR LILEBRAE ANNO AMATO SALVATORE MCCCCLXXXXI, V[ …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

    • at the top:

  • 'D. MARTINVS LVTHERVS.'

  • Inscribed by the museum conservators:

  • 'NATCEBATUR LILEBRAE ANNO AMATO SALVATORE MCCCCLXXXXI, V[ ]DECIMO ANTE CALENDAS NOVEMBRIS HORA X POSTMERIDIEM'

  • [Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

Owner
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Mass.
Repository
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Mass.
Location
Cambridge
CDA ID
US_HAM_1955-164
FR (1978) Nr.
FR423E
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/US_HAM_1955-164/

Provenance

[still in progress/research by our staff]

  • C. Fairfax Murray, London
  • Meta and Paul J. Sachs, to Fogg Art Museum, 1955
  • The painting was transferred to the Busch-Reisinger collections (at Harvard) in 1965 under the number BR65.21. It returned to the Fogg under its original Fogg number on January 1, 1990.
    [Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, revised 2015]

Exhibitions

  • Cambridge, Mass. 1971
  • Cambridge, Mass. 1992/1993
  • Cambridge, Mass. 1994/1995

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Koerner 1998 Fig. p. 94
AuthorJoseph Leo Koerner
TitleL'Image dans la Reforme et les pratiques de la croyance moderne
JournalCahiers du Musée National d'Art Moderne
IssueNo. 66, 1998 (Winter)
Year of Publication1998
Pages94-124
Show Literature
Cat. Cambridge Mass. 1990 103 Fig. 424
AuthorEdgar Peter Bowron
TitleEuropean Paintings before 1900 in the Fogg Art Museum. Summary catalog
Place of PublicationCambridge Mass.
Year of Publication1990
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Cambridge Mass. 1971 No. 71 Fig. 71
AuthorR. Bruce Livie
TitleAuch Kleine Dinge: Durer and the Decorative Tradition [Busch-Reisinger Museum, Cambridge, Mass.]
Place of Publication[Cambridge, Mass.]
Year of Publication1971
Show Literature
Cat. Cambridge Mass. 1919 No. 56
EditorFogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Mass.
TitleFogg Art Museum, Collection of Mediaeval and Renaissance Paintings
Place of Publication[Cambridge, Mass.]
Year of Publication1919
Show Literature
  • Martin Luther, 1546

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Documents

Technical studies

2015Technical Examination

Framing

Frame bought from Doll & Richards in 1914 for $60

[Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum 2015]

Condition Reports

Date13.05.1988

Support:

  • the wooden panel is in sound condition

  • cradled; covered with canvas and painted white on verso

  • old vertical crack 1/3 from left

  • strong convex warp 1 1/4" off the plane

Ground/Paint layers:

  • inscription along the top edge. Underdrawing plainly visible.

  • abrasion in vertical lines in center; some in neck

  • old inpainting, slightly darkened

Varnish:

  • varnish is not yet yellowed; in very good condition

Frame:

  • black molded frame with gilded liner - not the original, but appropriate

  • the frame is in good condition

see also pdf

  • examined by T. Hensick

Date07.01.1983

see pdf

Conservation History

Date03. 1950 - 04. 1950

see pdf

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/US_HAM_1955-164/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Martin Luther', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/US_HAM_1955-164/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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