Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder

Titles

Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]

Self-portrait

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 425]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]

A portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder aged 77, wearing a cloak of black brocade, which reveals a white shirt at the neckline. Cranach has short grey hair and a long split beard, which together with his steady gaze, his serious expression and voluminous stature lend the portrait great dignity.

A portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder aged 77, wearing a cloak of black brocade, which reveals a white shirt at the neckline. Cranach has short grey hair and a long split beard, which together with his steady gaze, his serious expression and voluminous stature lend the portrait great dignity. Cranach's shadow is cast over the upper left corner of the bluish-grey background.

[Görres, cda 2015]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]
[Schuchardt 1998 B, 11]
[Schade 1974, pl. 217]
[Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017, 211, No. 118]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, No. 425]

Production date
1550

Production date

1550

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 64 x 49 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 64 x 49 cm

  • [Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the right, next to the sitter's shoulder: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the right, next to the sitter's shoulder: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing left

  • [cda 2014]

Inscriptions and Labels

At top right: 'AETATIS SVAE . LXXVII .
1550 .'
[cda 2015]

Inscriptions and Labels

Inscriptions, Badges:

  • At top right:

  • 'AETATIS SVAE . LXXVII .

  • 1550 .'

  • [cda 2015]

Owner
Galleria Uffizi, Firenze
Repository
Galleria Uffizi, Firenze
Location
Florence
CDA ID
IT_GdU_1631
FR (1978) Nr.
FR425
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/IT_GdU_1631/

Provenance

  • private collection, collection of August the Strong, Elector of Saxony
  • listed in the inventory from 1676 by the treasurer Tobias Beutel the Elder:'the 18. July his Highness elector and I in the council chamber: a bust portrait of the old Lucas Cranach, with the date 1550 and aetatis 77, that he supposedly painted himself is presented to the elector by councilman Zschimmer. ('Den 18. July gaben Ch[ur]f[ürst]1. d[urch]l[aucht]. Mir in der Rathskammer: des alten Lucas Kranachs contrafectisch Brustbild, daran die Jahreszahl 1550 und Aetatis 77 so er selbst gemacht haben soll und ist Sr. Chfl. Dl. Vom Rathsherrn Zschimmer Praesentiert.')
  • until 1707 recorded in the Dresden court in various locations, but is not listed in the inventory from 1722. August the Strong gave it as a gift to Cosimo III. de'Medici [1]
    [- Galleria degli Uffizi, Palazzo degli Uffizi, Sala degli Autoritratti, Florence, 1681 (accession date)]
  • Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti, Guardaroba, Florence, 1713 (accession date), 1753 (de-accessioned)
  • Villa medicea di Poggio a Caiano, war shelter, Poggio a Caiano, 13-6-1940 (accession date)
  • Castello di Poppi, Poppi, 23-10-1940 (accession date)
  • Castel Giovo, Bolzano, San Leonardo
  • Palazzo Pitti, Museo degli Argenti, Florence
  • Galleria degli Uffizi, Palazzo degli Uffizi, Florence, 10-1-1952 (accession date)

[1] [Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007, 380, No. 123]
[Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]

Exhibitions

  • Berlin 1936
  • Berlin 1937
  • Florence 1986/87
  • Kronach 1994, No. 4
  • London 2008
  • Rome 2010/11, 124-127
  • Weimar 2015, No. 3
  • Düsseldorf 2017, No. 118

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 211 No. 118
EditorGunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Cranach. Meister - Marke - Moderne", Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 08. April 2017 - 30. Juli 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Görres 2017 A 61 Fig. 1
AuthorDaniel Görres
TitleLucas Cranach il Vecchio. Biografia
Publicationin Francesca de Luca, Giovanni Maria Fara, eds., I volti della Riforma. Lutero e Cranach nelle collezioni medicee , Exhib. Cat. Florence, 2017
Place of PublicationFlorence, Milan
Year of Publication2017
Pages60-61
Show Literature
Bonnet, Görres 2015 11-13 1 p. 13
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Daniel Görres
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. - Maler der Deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015 92 under No. 1
EditorJulia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper
TitleBild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Gotha, Herzogliches Museum; Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe]
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar 2015 13, 18-21, 24, 25 3 Pl. p. 24, Fig. p. 20-21 (detail)
EditorWolfgang Holler, Karin Kolb
TitleCranach in Weimar, [Weimar, Schiller-Museum, 3 April - 14 June 2015]
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Kolb 2015 B 187-188, 193 8
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleCarl Heinrich von Heineken und die Cranach-Rezeption im 18. Jahrhundert
Publicationin Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz, ed., Cranach im Gotischen Haus in Wörlitz, Exhib. Cat. Wörlitz
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2015
Pages179-193
Show Literature
Schuchardt 2015 A 23 Fig. 10
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
TitleCranach und Luther-Aspekte einer Partnerschaft
Publicationin Günther Schuchardt, ed., Cranach, Luther und die Bildnisse, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach 2015
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2015
Pages10-23
Show Literature
Bonnet, Kopp-Schmidt, Görres 2010
AuthorAnne-Marie Bonnet, Gabriele Kopp-Schmidt, Daniel Görres
TitleDie Malerei der deutschen Renaissance
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 99
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Rome 2010 124-127 Pl. p. 125, Pl.. p. 127 (detail)
EditorGalleria Borghese, Rome, Anna Coliva, Bernard Aikema
TitleCranach. L'altro rinascimento / a different renaissance, [Rome, Galleria Borghese 15 ottobre 2010 - 13 febbraio 2011]
Place of PublicationMilan
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Messling 2010 12 1
AuthorGuido Messling
TitleBlicke auf Cranach
Publicationin Guido Messling, ed., Die Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys, Exhib. Cat. Brussels
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Pages12-25
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007 380-381 123 p. 381
EditorBodo Brinkmann
TitleCranach der Ältere, [Frankfurt, Städel Museum, 23 Nov 2007 - 17 Feb 2008]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005 242 under No. 7
EditorHarald Marx, Karin Kolb, Ingrid Mössinger
TitleCranach Anlässlich der Ausstellung Cranach vom 13. November 2005 bis 12. März 2006 in den Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz. Eine Ausstellung in Kooperation mit der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Kolb 2005 A 131-133, 167 Fig. 50
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleCranach - Die Gemälde in Dresden und ihre Geschichte
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages112-173
Show Literature
Kolb 2005 C 538
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleDokumentation zum Dresdener Cranach-Bestand
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages526-572
Show Literature
Schuchardt 1998 B 11
AuthorGünter Schuchardt
Title"Ich hätt euch viel zu schreiben, hab aber viel zu schaffen." Lucas Cranach d. Ä. und seine Wittenberger Werkstatt.
Publicationin Ingo Sandner, Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach and Fachhochschule Köln, eds., Unsichtbare Meisterzeichnungen auf dem Malgrund. Cranach und seine Zeitgenossen, Exhib. Cat. Eisenach
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication1998
Pages11-18
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Kronach 1994 224-225, 371 4 Fig. 4
EditorClaus Grimm, Johannes Erichsen, Evamaria Brockhoff
TitleLucas Cranach. Ein Maler-Unternehmer aus Franken [Festung Rosenberg, Kronach 17.05 - 21.08.1994; Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig 07.09 - 06.11.1994]
SeriesVeröffentlichungen zur bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur
Volume26
Place of PublicationAugsburg, Coburg
Year of Publication1994
Show Literature
Rebel 1994 138
AuthorErnst Rebel
TitleLucas Cranach Porträtkunst. Personendarstellungen zwischen Vitalität und Formel
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 PublicationCoburg, Augsburg
Year of Publication1994
Pages131-138
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Florence 1986/1987
Authorn. a.
TitleCapolavori e Restauri, [Florence, Palazzo Vecchio]
Place of PublicationFlorence
Year of Publication1986
Show Literature
Cat. Florence 1979 850 A266 Fig.
Authorn. a.
TitleCatalogo dei dipinti
Place of PublicationFlorence
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 No. 425
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 28, 76, 77, 753
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Schade 1974 Plate 217
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Zimmermann E. H. 1942 A
AuthorErnst Heinrich Zimmermann
TitleEin Bildnisentwurf Lucas Cranachs d. J.
JournalBerliner Museen
Issue63 (1942)
Year of Publication1942
Pages2-4
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 42 117 Pl. 100
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1936
Authorn. a.
TitleGrosse Deutsche in Bildnissen Ihrer Zeit, Ausstellung aus Anlaß der XI. Olympischen Spiele, August - September 1936, [Berlin, im ehemaligen Kronprinzenpalais]
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1936
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 342
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
Schuchardt 1851 A 209
AuthorChristian Schuchardt
TitleLucas Cranach des Aeltern Leben und Werke. Erster Theil
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1851
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schuchardt1851bd1
Show Literature
  • Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1550

Images

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

Technical studies

2017Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- dry drawing material, stylus

Type/Ductus:

- economic, freehand underdrawing (only partially visible e. g. in the hands and the eyes)

- delicate, fine lines

Function:

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

Deviations:

- minor corrections were made to forms during the painting process (hands)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2018]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

Conservation History

Date1985 - 1986

(UR 198), SBAS FI

[Galleria Uffizi, revised 2014]

  • conservation treatment by Agathe Keller

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/IT_GdU_1631/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Portrait of Lucas Cranach the Elder', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/IT_GdU_1631/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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