Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50

Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50

Title

Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sylvatica)

Medium

Painting on beech wood (Fagus sylvatica)

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Half-length portrait, facing right, against a blue background. The sitter has brown eyes and mid-blond hair. The shaved part of his face appears grey. He wears the official attire of a protestant clergy: a black reformist overcoat and beret. He has a book in his hands.

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997,

Half-length portrait, facing right, against a blue background. The sitter has brown eyes and mid-blond hair. The shaved part of his face appears grey. He wears the official attire of a protestant clergy: a black reformist overcoat and beret. He has a book in his hands.

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Production date
1533

Production date

1533

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 20.5 x 14.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 20.5 x 14.5 cm

  • [Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia on the left edge: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated '1535'.

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia on the left edge: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing right and dated '1535'.

  • [CDA 2011]

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: paper label: BStGS Inv. 1822 (pasted over); 1855, Nr. 5417; 1905, Nr. 1136
three small …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: paper label: BStGS Inv. 1822 (pasted over); 1855, Nr. 5417; 1905, Nr. 1136

  • three small paper labels: Nr. 1150.

  • Reverse of the frame:

  • cardboard: 'Bildrahmen/z.A. 1932, No. 52/5'

  • remains of a label: L 16 x.

  • [Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Owner
Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
Repository
Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
Location
Nuremberg
CDA ID
DE_BStGS-GNMN_Gm216
FR (1978) Nr.
FR314D
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-GNMN_Gm216/

Provenance

Loan from the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (BStGS), Inv. No. 5417

  • Zweibrücken, Galerie, No. 739
  • BStGS Inv. 1822, No. 5015
  • BStGS Inv. 1905, No. 1136
  • from 1811 displayed in Nuremberg in the castle, Inv. Centralgalerie 1817 and inventory from 1819, both No. 192
  • from 1840 Landauerbrüderhaus
  • from 1864 displayed in the castle again
  • from 1876 displayed in the Moritz chapel
  • 1882 GNM

[Löcher, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Exhibitions

Gent 1955, No. 33
Nuremberg 1983, No. 39 with Fig.

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat.Hess, Hirschfelder, Bär 2010 53, 108, 428 Fig. 66
AuthorFrank Bär
EditorDaniel Hess, Dagmar Hirschfelder, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
TitleRenaissance. Barock. Aufklärung. Kunst und Kultur vom 16. bis zum 18. Jahrhundert
SeriesDie Schausammlungen des Germanischen Nationalmuseums
Volume3
Place of PublicationNuremberg
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Schuchardt 2004
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitleLuther seitenrichtig - Luther seitenverkehrt? Die Bildnisse im Leben und im Tod - Werkstattprinzip und Werkstattprivileg Cranachs und seiner Mitarbeiter
Volume2003
JournalWartburg-Jahrbuch
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2004
Pages9-30
Show Literature
Cat. Nuremberg 1997 149-150
AuthorKurt Löcher
TitleDie Gemälde des 16. Jahrhunderts. Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication1997
Show Literature
Klein 1994 A 200 Tab. 10
AuthorPeter Klein
TitleLucas Cranach und seine Werkstatt. Holzarten und dendrochronologische Analyse
Publicationin Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds.,Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages194-200
Show Literature
Strieder 1994 A No. 255
AuthorPeter Strieder
EditorGermanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
TitleFührer durch die Sammlungen, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Bott 1985 No. 255
AuthorGerhard Bott
EditorGermanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
TitleFührer durch die Sammlungen, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg
Place of PublicationNuremberg
Year of Publication1985
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Nuremberg 1983 No. 39
EditorGerhard Bott
TitleMartin Luther und die Reformation in Deutschland. Ausstellung zum 500. Geburtstag Martin Luthers
Place of PublicationFrankfurt a. M.
Year of Publication1983
Show Literature
Löchner 1982 533-559
AuthorKurt Löcher
TitleBildnisse des 16. bis 18. Jahrhunderts. Person und Persönlichkeit
Publicationin Rudolf Pörtner, ed., Das Schatzhaus der deutschen Geschichte. Das Germanische Nationalmuseum unser Kulturerbe in Bildern und Beispielen
Place of PublicationDüsseldorf, Vienna
Year of Publication1982
Show Literature
Strieder 1980 No. 260
AuthorPeter Strieder, Leonie von Wilckens
EditorGermanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
TitleGermanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg. Führer durch die Sammlungen
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1980
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 132 No. 314D
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Strieder 1977 No. 260
AuthorPeter Strieder, Leonie von Wilckens
EditorGermanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
TitleGermanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg. Führer durch die Sammlungen
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1977
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gent 1955 B No. 33
Authorn. a.
TitleKeizer Karel en zijn tijd
Place of PublicationGhent
Year of Publication1955
Show Literature
Cat. Nuremberg 1936/1937 40 Fig. 369
AuthorEberhard Lutze, Eberhard Wiegand
TitleKataloge des Germanischen Nationalmuseums zu Nürnberg. Die Gemälde des 13.-16. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 252h
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
Cat. Nuremberg 1878-1880 No. 37
AuthorAugust von Reber
TitleKatalog der Königliche Gemälde. Galerie in der St Moritz Kapelle
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication1880
Show Literature
Parthey 1863-1864 696 (Bd. 1) No. 317
AuthorGustav Parthey
TitleDeutscher Bildersaal. Verzeichnis der in Deutschland vorhandenen Oelbilder verstorbener Maler aller Schulen
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1864
Show Literature
Lotz 1863 347 No. 181
AuthorWilhelm Lotz
TitleKunst-Topographie Deutschlands. Ein Haus- und Reise-Handbuch für Künstler, Gelehrte und Freunde unserer alten Kunst
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationKassel
Year of Publication1863
Show Literature
Heller 1854 89
AuthorJoseph Heller
TitleLucas Cranach's Leben und Werke
Place of PublicationNuremberg
Year of Publication1854
Link http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015062799757
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1851 C 120 374
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
Waagen 1843 216-217
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
TitleKunstwerke und Künstler im Erzgebirge und in Franken
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1843
Show Literature
Cat. Nuremberg 1840 No. 181
EditorLandauerbrüderhaus
TitleVerzeichnis der königlichen und städtischen Gemälde, welche in der Königlichen Gemäldegalerie in Nürnberg im Landauerbrüderhaus aufgestellt sind.
Place of PublicationNuremberg
Year of Publication1840
Show Literature
Heller 1821 214
AuthorJoseph Heller
TitleVersuch über das Leben und die Werke Lucas Cranachs
Place of PublicationBamberg
Year of Publication1821
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/heller1821
Show Literature
  • Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50, 1533

Images

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Technical studies

09. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- dry medium (?); (dark chalk?)

Type/Ductus

- traced linear underdrawing, barely visible

- occasional delicate, fine lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and generally describe the essential details of the face and hands (barely visible); no representation of volume

Deviations:

- none visible

INTERPRETATION

Attribution :

- not possible

Comments:

- possibly transferred (traced) from a pre-existing design

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

1997Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology
  • Dendrochronology
  • Infrared reflectography
  • Stereomicroscopy
  • overall

Support

- beech wood (Fagus sylvatica)

- single plank, 109 annual rings

- original size

Ground and Imprimatura

- a ground was applied to the panel and it was painted before it was framed

- there are incised lines with units of measurement (1.6 cm) in the ground along all four edges

- the lines along the bottom and right edges have been shifted inwards from the axis by c. 2-2.5mm and correspond with the two thirds position of the sitter

- the line along the right edge was carried out twice; the inner one runs at gradient of 2.5mm towards the centre of the image from bottom to top

Underdrawing

- executed with a brush

- the contours and main lines within the forms are indicated

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Condition Reports

Date1997

Reverse:

  • painted black while framed

Painted surface:

  • scratches in the blue background

  • point retouching in the blue background and on the black coat

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Conservation History

Date1959

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Date1953

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Date1949

as yet no information

[Bartl, Cat. Nuremberg 1997, 149]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-GNMN_Gm216/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Martin Luther aged 50', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_BStGS-GNMN_Gm216/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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