Neustadt Retabel [right wing]: The Beheading of St John [recto] The Virgin Taking Leave of her Son [verso]

Title

[cda 2013]

Painting on softwood

Medium

Painting on softwood

[Heydenreich 2007A, 68]

Recto: the henchmen wearing a yellow doublet looks at the viewer fiercely as he has just completed his work. St John's corpse lies on the ground, his blood spurts out in three jets creating a pool in the botom left corner. While stilll holding the sword the henchman places the severed head on Salome's dish. She stands to the left and is accompanied by two women. On the right five other men watch the event. Elector Friedrich III and his brother and co-regent Johann I are in the front row.

Verso: part of a representation extending over the reverse of two panels: the Virgin taking leave of her Son accompanied by the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Like the Virgin both have fallen to their knees and attempt to support her. The robe of the companion on the left continues onto the left panel. The third companion, Mary Magdalene, stands behind them and has turned towards Christ.

[Görres, cda 2013]

Attributions: Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop	[Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 1998, No. 23.7][Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 47A] [Hoffmann 1954, 32-35]
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 37] [Schade 1974, 65] [Lehfeldt 1897B, 82]

Production dates: 1513
1512

Production dates

1513	[Müller 2011, 66] [Heydenreich 2007A, 413, No. 53] [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 47A] [Hintzenstern 1986, 7] [Gillsch 1881]
1512	[Schade 1974, 406, No. 93] [Hoffmann 1954, 10, 122]
1520 - 1525	[Lehfeldt 1897B, 86]

Dimensions: Dimensions of painted surface: 265.3 x 96.3-96.6 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of painted surface: 265.3 x 96.3-96.6 cm
Dimensions including frame: 282 x 112.3-112.8 x 7 cm
[Heydenreich, cda 2010]

Signature / Dating: None

Inscriptions and Labels

on the reverse of the predella, the reverse of the shrine and the fixed wings numerous dates and monograms …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

- on the reverse of the predella, the reverse of the shrine and the fixed wings numerous dates and monograms are either carved into the wood or written with different types of paint, among others: '1525', 1578', '1602', '1618', '1619', '1622', '1630', '1636', '1686'
- on the right fixed wing at the height of the heads of the sculptures in the shrine: '1712', '1772', '1860', '1884', '1905'
- the authenticity of the the inscriptions '1525' and '1578' is doubtful, as numerous inscriptions were carried out in what appears to be the same brown material over a longer period of time.
[Heydenreich, cda 2012]

Owner: Evangelische Kirchgemeinde Neustadt/Orla
Repository: Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Johannis zu Neustadt/Orla
Location: Neustadt

CDA ID: DE_JKN_NONE-JKN001c
FR (1978) Nr.: FR047A
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JKN_NONE-JKN001c/

Provenance

01 August 1511: Cranach was commissioned by the City Council of Neustadt/Orla
14 June 1513: the panels arrive in Neustadt/Orla
24 June 1513 [1]: installation in the present location in the Johanniskirche, Neustadt/Orla

[Heydenreich 2007 A, 411-413]

[1] the date is recorded in the church invoice as 'am abend Johannis Baptiste (on the evening of St John the Baptist' (quoted from [Heydenreich 2007 A, 411]). [Hintzenstern 1986, 7] agrees with this interpretation of the source. Different dates are given by [Hofmann 1954, 10, 122]: '23 June 1512' and [Schade 1974, 406]: '24 June 1512'.

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Sandner 2021

Author	Ingo Sandner
Title	Die Werkstattpraxis Lucas Cranach des Älteren
Publication	in Dagmar Täube, ed., Lucas Cranach der Ältere und Hans Kemmer. Meistermaler zwischen Renaissance und Reformation [Lübeck, St. Annen-Museum]
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2021
Pages	71-81

Show Literature

Cat. Coburg 2018

51, 63, 73, 122-124, 126

under nos. 4, 5, 21, 22

Fig. 3; Fig. 2, p. 122

Author	Klaus Weschenfelder
Title	Cranach 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 Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2018

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Heydenreich 2017 A

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Cranach? Fragen der Zuschreibung im Lichte kunsttechnologischer Untersuchungen
Publication	in Gunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer, eds., Lucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017]
Place of Publication	Munich
Year of Publication	2017
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/7316/7870/1704/Heydenreich_2017_Cranach_Fragen_der_Zuschreibung.pdf
Pages	72-81

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Greiling 2014

Editor	Werner Greiling, Uwe Schirmer, Ronny Schwalbe
Title	Der Altar von Lucas Cranach d. Ä. in Neustadt an der Orla und die Kirchenverhältnisse im Zeitalter der Reformation
Series	Quellen und Forschungen zu Thüringen im Zeitalter der Reformation
Volume	3
Place of Publication	Cologne, Weimar, Vienna
Year of Publication	2014

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Maier 2014

Author	Rüdiger Maier, Sabine Maier
Title	Der Cranach-Altar zu Neustadt an der Orla (1513). Unterzeichnung und malerische Ausführung
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	2014

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Maier, S. 2011

Author	Sabine Maier
Title	Infrarotreflektographie an einem frühen Cranach-Altar. Unterzeichnung auf der Predella des Altarwerks in Neustadt an der Orla
Journal	Zeitschrift für Thüringische Geschichte
Issue	65
Year of Publication	2011
Pages	71-87

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Müller 2011

65-74

Author	Rainer Müller
Title	Die Kirchen in Neustadt an der Orla und Umgebung. Eine Geschichte des Sakralbaus in der Orlasenke
Place of Publication	Jena
Year of Publication	2011

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Heydenreich 2007 A

47, 65, 68, 75-81, 94-95, 98, 125, 156, 169, 187-188, 219-220, 223, 272, 277-278, 286, 289-290, 301, 331, 340, 358, 359, 395

2, 81, 221, 274; primary documents on pp. 411-413

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Lucas Cranach the Elder
Place of Publication	Amsterdam
Year of Publication	2007
Link	https://lucascranach.org/application/files/6116/2097/3099/Heydenreich_2007_Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder.pdf

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Heydenreich 2007 B

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	"... dass Du mit wunderbarer Schnelligkeit malest". Virtuosität und Effizienz in der künstlerischen Praxis Lucas Cranachs d. Ä.
Publication	in Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. FrankfurtA
Place of Publication	Ostfildern
Year of Publication	2007
Pages	29-47

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Heydenreich 2007 C

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Adam and Eve in the Making
Publication	in Caroline Campbell, ed., Temptation in Eden. Lucas Cranach's Adam and Eve, London, The Courtauld Institute of Art
Place of Publication	London
Year of Publication	2007
Pages	18 - 33

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Ritschel 2006

320-325

Author	Iris Ritschel
Title	Friedrich der Weise und seine Gefährtin. Überlegungen und Erkenntnisse zu fünf verdächtig(t)en Kunstwerken
Publication	in Andreas Tacke, ed., "... wir wollen der Liebe Raum geben". Konkubinate geistlicher und weltlicher Fürsten um 1500
Place of Publication	Göttingen
Year of Publication	2006
Pages	296-341

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Exhib. Cat. Prague 2005

46 (English version 22)

under no. 1

Editor	Obrazárna Pražského hradu, Kaliopi Chamonikola
Title	Pod znamením okrídleného hada. Lucas Cranach a ceské zeme. Under the winged Serpent. Lucas Cranach and the Czech Land
Place of Publication	Prague
Year of Publication	2005

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Melzer 2005

Author	Reinhard Melzer
Title	Cranach in Wörlitz. Das Gotische Haus als frühe Sammlungsstätte altdeutscher Malerei
Publication	in Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, ed., Cranach. Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of Publication	Cologne
Year of Publication	2005
Pages	44-58

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Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 1998

240

No. 23.7

Editor	Wartburg-Stiftung, Eisenach, Fachhochschule , Ingo Sandner
Title	Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen. Ausstellungskatalog und Tagungsband Katalogteil 1; 2: Werkstatt und Schüler Cranachs; 3: Süddeutsche Meister; 4: Albrecht Dürer und sein Kreis; 5: Rheinische Meister
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	1998
Pages	229-240

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Heydenreich 1998 A

189-190

Author	Gunnar Heydenreich
Title	Herstellung, Grundierung und Rahmung der Holzbildträger in den Werkstätten Lucas Cranachs d.Ä.
Publication	in Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	1998
Pages	181-200

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Sandner 1998 B

Author	Ingo Sandner
Title	Cranach als Zeichner auf dem Malgrund
Publication	in Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	1998
Pages	83-95

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Söffing 1997

Author	Horst Söffing
Title	Evang. Stadtkirche St. Johannis, Neustadt/Orla
Series	Kleine Kunstführer
Place of Publication	Regensburg
Year of Publication	1997

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Salley 1995

Author	Victoria Salley
Title	Der Cranach-Altar in der Johanniskirche zu Neustadt an der Orla [Thesis]
Place of Publication	Munich
Issue	Unpublished Masters-Thesis
Year of Publication	1995

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Erichsen 1994 A

152-155, 158

Figs. A97, A98, A99

Author	Johannes Erichsen
Title	Altäre Lucas Cranachs und seiner Werkstatt vor der Reformation
Publication	in Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhof, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmen aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26/94
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	150-165

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Erichsen 1994 B

181

Author	Johannes Erichsen
Title	Vorlagen und Werkstattmodelle bei Lucas Cranach
Publication	in Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhof, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26/94
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	180-185

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Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994

381

212d

Editor	Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff
Title	Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken [Festung Rosenberg, Kronach 17.05 - 21.08.1994; Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig 07.09 - 06.11.1994]
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication	1994

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Grimm 1994

Author	Claus Grimm
Title	Lucas Cranach 1994
Publication	in Claus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff, eds., Lucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken, Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994
Series	Veröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume	26
Place of Publication	Augsburg, Regensburg
Year of Publication	1994
Pages	18-43

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Sparsbrod 1991

Author	H. Sparsbrod
Title	Der Altar in der Stadtkirche
Journal	Neustädter Kreisbote
Issue	16
Year of Publication	1991
Pages	8-9

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Hintzenstern, Dressler 1986

Author	Herbert von Hintzenstern
Title	Der Cranach-Altar in Neustadt an der Orla
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1986

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

47A

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

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Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

21, 37, 442

Fig. 243

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

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Schade 1974

37, 46, 49, 62, 63, 65, 382, 405, 406

Author	Werner Schade
Title	Die Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of Publication	Dresden
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974

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Hoffmann 1955

Editor	Karl Hoffmann
Title	Der Neustädter Altar von Lucas Cranach und seiner Werkstatt
Series	Kostbarkeiten aus Thüringer Kirchen
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1955
Link	https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28261

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Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

under No. 42

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

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Lehfeldt 1897A

24-25

Author	Paul Lehfeldt
Title	Cranachs Altarwerk in Neustadt an der Orla
Journal	Sitzungsberichte der Kunstgeschichtlichen Gesellschaft Berlin
Year of Publication	1897
Pages	24-25

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Lehfeldt 1897B

77-87

Author	Paul Lehfeldt
Title	Bau- und Kunstdenmäler Thüringens. Großherzogtum Sachsen - Weimar - Eisenach
Series	Verwaltungsbezirk Neustadt
Volume	5
Place of Publication	Jena
Year of Publication	1897

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Gillsch 1881

Author	Volkmar Gillsch
Title	Der Cranachaltar in Neustadt an der Orla
Journal	Weimarische Zeitung
Issue	3. April 1881
Year of Publication	1881

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Kaphahn 1827

Author	F. J. A. Kaphahn
Title	Die St. Johannis- oder Stadtkirche zu Neustadt an der Orla mit den Denkmälern und den Veränderungen, die sie erlitten hat
Place of Publication	Neustadt/Orla
Year of Publication	1827

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Research History / Discussion

The repeatedly expressed suspicion, that the wings and the predella of the altar were created at different times could be refuted. The use of the same wood species and the width of the planks as well as the canvas strips used to cover knots suggest the contrary.

[see Heydenreich 2007 A, 68-69]

Connected Works

Neustadt Retabel [right wing]: The Beheading of St John [recto] The Virgin Taking Leave of her Son [verso], 1513

Images

Technical studies

2007Technical Examination

Support

- softwood

- planks with a width of between 26 and 32 cm and a thickness of between 2.3 and 2.8 cm

- the planks of the moveable wings are arranged horizontally and those of the fixed wings are arranged vertically

- knots were covered with strips of canvas, 4-5 cm in width, with the same thread-count (c. 14 x 14 per cm²). This applies to both the wings and the predella and thus precludes differing dates of creation.

[Heydenreich 2007 A, 65, 68-69]

Ground and Imprimatura

- white chalk ground

- there are incised lines along the edge of the frame, that were executed while the ground was still wet

[Heydenreich 2007A, 94, 134, 154]

Paint Layers and Gilding

- the painting on the reverse of the panel appears to have been executed in a water-based medium

[Heydenreich 2007A, 220]

Framing

- the frame is to a large extent original

[Heydenreich 2007A, 76, 94]

1995Technical examination / Scientific analysis

X-radiography

created by Gunnar Heydenreich

1995Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing

- thin to slightly broader lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

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

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder?

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich

Conservation History

Date1948 - 1951

Hoffmann 1954, 13 presumes that the altar dismantled during the Thirty Years War, but had already been reinstalled in the 17th century. In 1716 the altar is recorded in the files.
1944: put into storage to protect it from air raids
1948-1951: varnish removal and restoration in the Schlossmuseum Weimar

[Hintzenstern 1986, 10]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Neustadt Retabel [right wing]: The Beheading of St John [recto] The Virgin Taking Leave of her Son [verso]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JKN_NONE-JKN001c/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Neustadt Retabel [right wing]: The Beheading of St John [recto] The Virgin Taking Leave of her Son [verso]', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_JKN_NONE-JKN001c/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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