Christ and the Adulteress

Christ and the Adulteress

Title

Christ and the Adulteress

[Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]
[Klein Report, 22.10.1999]

Christ, who is in the centre of the image, points at the adulteress with his right hand. He looks in the direction of the group of men on the left side of the painting. They have already prepared themselves for the stoning. The soft features of Christ contrast with the

Christ, who is in the centre of the image, points at the adulteress with his right hand. He looks in the direction of the group of men on the left side of the painting. They have already prepared themselves for the stoning. The soft features of Christ contrast with the angry, distorted features of the man at the front of this group and the profile of an old man on the right next to Christ's head. The apostles are shown behind Christ and the adulteress. The scene, which takes place against a dark background, is brought closer to the viewer by the chosen composition.

[Görres, cda 2014]

Attribution
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, no. 21]
[Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]
[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2016, 105, No. 12]

Production date
1537 or later

Production date

1537 or later

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, no. 21] [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2016, 105, no. 12]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 86.5 x 121 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 86.5 x 121 cm

  • [Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]

Signature / Dating

Artisti's insignia top right: winged serpent with folded wings

Signature / Dating

  • Artisti's insignia top right: winged serpent with folded wings

  • [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, 40, No. 16]

Inscriptions and Labels

Top: 'WER VNTER EVCH ON SVND IST DER WERFFE DEN ERSTEN STEIN AVFF SIE.
IOHAN AM. 8.'

[Exhib. Cat. …

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • Top:

  • 'WER VNTER EVCH ON SVND IST DER WERFFE DEN ERSTEN STEIN AVFF SIE.

  • IOHAN AM. 8.'

  • [Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, No. 21]

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel, on cradle: 'N: 172'

  • [Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]

Owner
Národní galerie v Praze (National Gallery in Prague)
Repository
Národní galerie v Praze (National Gallery in Prague)
Location
Prague
CDA ID
CZ_NGP_DO4211
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_NGP_DO4211/

Provenance

  • from Nostitz Collection, Prague; there most likely recorded for the first time in 1738, with certainty in 1819

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, No. 21]

Exhibitions

Prague 2005, no. 21
Prague 2016, no. 12

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2016 30, 102-105 12 Figs. pp. 30, 102, 103
EditorOlga Kotková
TitleCranach. Ze všech stran. From all sides.
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2016
Pages16-180
Show Literature
Cat. Prague 2007 42 16
AuthorOlga Kotková
TitleNational Gallery in Prague. German and Austrian Painting of the 14th - 16th Centuries. Illustrated Summary Catalogue II/1
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Chamonikola 2005 B 28(English version 12)
AuthorKaliopi Chamonikola
TitleLucas Cranach a ceské zeme/ Lucas Cranach and the Czech Lands
Publicationin Kaliopi Chamonikola, ed., Pod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme, Under the winged Serpent, Lucas Cranach and the Czech Lands, Exhib. Prague 2005
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Pages13-33 (6-15)
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005 98, 99 (English version 39) 21 Pl. p. 99
EditorObrazárna Pražského hradu, Kaliopi Chamonikola
TitlePod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme. Under the winged Serpent. Lucas Cranach and the Czech Land
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Cat. Prague 1962 17
AuthorJaroslav Pešina
TitleAlt-deutsche Meister: Von Hans von Tübingen bis Dürer und Cranach
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication1962
Show Literature
Cat. Prague 1905 10 40
AuthorP. Bergner
TitleVerzeichniß der gräflich Nostitzschen Gemälde-Galerie zu Prag
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication1905
Show Literature
Frimmel 1892 133, 319
AuthorTheodor von Frimmel
TitleKleine Galeriestudien I
Place of PublicationBamberg
Year of Publication1892
Show Literature
Würbs 1864 7 31
AuthorC. Würbs
TitleVerzeichniß der Gräflich Nostitzschen Gemälde-Galerie in Prag
Place of PublicationPrague
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 C 110 389
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Zweiter Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd2
Show Literature
  • Christ and the Adulteress, 1537 or later

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • detail

Documents

Technical studies

06. 2014Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared Reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry, drawing material, chalk

Type/Ductus:

- schematic, freehand underdrawing

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details and the facial features; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2014]

  • photographed by Ingo Sandner
  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

22.10.1999Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: Beech wood

Dendrochronology has established 1527 as the earliest date for the felling of the tree. [...] Taking a minimum of a two-year storage,into account the painting's crreation is plausible from 1529 (Peter Klein, 22 October 1999).

[Cat. Prague 2007, No. 16]

  • examined by Peter Klein

Conservation History

Date2005

May 2005, condition before treatment:

  • extensive areas of baroque overpaint

  • particularly in the chest area of the adulteress (white lace on the bodice added later), the right hand, as well as the left hand and Christ's red mantle

  • Christ's left hand and the adulteress' right hand were repainted, in other versions of this subject Christ holds the hand of the adulteress

[Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005, No. 21]

  • conservation treatment by Radomil Klouza

Versions

Christ and the Adulteress
  • Christ and the Adulteress, 1545
  • DE_BStGS_11142
  • Painting
  • Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_NGP_DO4211/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Christ and the Adulteress', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/CZ_NGP_DO4211/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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