Lucretia

Lucretia

Title

Lucretia

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]

The painting depicts Lucretia as a full-length standing figure in a fur coat.

Her head is inclined slightly to the left and she looks at the viewer. Her hands are lowered and grasp the long dagger, which she points at her chest. Lucretia wears a sumptuous gown. This reaches down

The painting depicts Lucretia as a full-length standing figure in a fur coat.

Her head is inclined slightly to the left and she looks at the viewer. Her hands are lowered and grasp the long dagger, which she points at her chest. Lucretia wears a sumptuous gown. This reaches down to the ground, is trimmed with fur and decorated with embroidery on the sleeves and the hem. Beneath a transparent undergarment is visible. Lucretia's light hair is pinned up and covered with a veil. To complement the sumptuous gown she wears precious jewellery: a thick linked chain, a chain decorated with pearls and precious stones, a simple (leather) band with a pendant and a bracelet.

The background is dark, but Lucretia stands on a light coloured floor.

According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.

Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.

[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger

'more likely Lucas Cranach the Younger'
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Auct. Cat. Sotheby's London 2009 in the Archive D. Koepplin]

Production dates
about 1540 - 1545
after 1537

Production dates

about 1540 - 1545

[cda 2021]

after 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support:

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support:

  • 57 x 34 cm

  • [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the top right: serpent (with dropped wings)

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the top right: serpent (with dropped wings)

Owner
Private Collection
Repository
Private Collection
CDA ID
PRIVATE_NONE-P025
FR (1978) Nr.
FR409G
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P025/

Provenance

  • Galerie van Diemen & Co., Berlin
    [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 153, No. 409G]
    (The branch in Berlin existed from 1918 to 1935 when it was liquidated by the National Socialists, the stock was auctioned by Paul Graupe on the 25.01 and the 26.04. Cranach paintings are recorded as works sold; source: www.lostart.de; 10.02.2011)

  • 22.04.2009 auctioned at Sotheby's London
    [handwritten annotation D. Koepplin in the Auct. Cat. Sotheby's London 2009 in the Archive D. Koepplin]

  • 07.12.2010 auctioned at Christie's London, Lot 5
    [handwritten annotation D. Koepplin on a figure (Auct. Cat. Christie's London 2010?) in the Archive D. Koepplin]

See also the entry in the Lost Art-database, Stiftung Deutsches Zentrum für Kulturgutverluste: Lost Art-ID 308674; http://www.lostart.de/DE/Verlust/308674 (accessed 17 Dec. 2019).

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Auct. Cat. London 2010 B
EditorChristie's Fine Art Auction House, London
TitleChristie's London, 07.12.2010
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication2010
Auct. Cat. London 2009 A
EditorSotheby's Auction House, London
TitleSotheby's London, 22.04.2009
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication2009
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 153 No. 409G
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 90 329g
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

Research History / Discussion

This Lucretia differs from other full-length depictions (e.g. FR240, FR240A) in that she wears a coat and holds the dagger in both hands. The style –with a gown, a transparent undergarment and plenty of jewellery – is more similar to later works (FR358B), which are now more frequently attributed to Lucas Cranach the Younger.

[Herrschaft, cda 2012]

  • Lucretia, about 1540 - 1545

Images

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Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P025/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P025/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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