Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
Tempera and oil on panel.
80 x 100 cm.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
Tempera and oil on panel.
80 x 100 cm.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
Oil on panel.
61,5 x 42,2 cm.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
Oil on panel.
61,5 x 42,2 cm.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The disclosure of one of the secret aspects of a work of art points, in the case of this portrait, to possible links between Otto Dix’s “Hugo Erfurth with Dog” (1926) and paintings by the masters of the Renaissance, as in the case of Lucas Cranach, the Younger’s “Portrait of a Woman” (1539), both of which form part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection.
A highly methodical artist, Dix was acquainted with the elaborate and sophisticated techniques used by the old world artists he so admired, recovering this aspect in his working process: he followed the same technical guidelines in the method used to treat light, in the execution of certain details and even in the iconographic treatment of the portrait, as evinced by similarities between both paintings.
On the other hand, testing and sampling of the paintings have unveiled parallelisms between the ways in which Dix executed his works and that of the Italian and German masters of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
A highly methodical artist, Dix was acquainted with the elaborate and sophisticated techniques used by the old world artists he so admired, recovering this aspect in his working process: he followed the same technical guidelines in the method used to treat light, in the execution of certain details and even in the iconographic treatment of the portrait, as evinced by similarities between both paintings.
On the other hand, testing and sampling of the paintings have unveiled parallelisms between the ways in which Dix executed his works and that of the Italian and German masters of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the hair)
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the hair)
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the hair)
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the hair)
HAIR DIX/ CRANACH
There are similarities in the arrangement of brushstrokes and hair. Dix employed thin lines of white tempera to introduce light into the composition, clearly echoing the Old Masters, as seen in the sparkle of Erfurth’s hair and of the small pearls decorating the lady’s hair in Lucas Cranach’s painting.
There are similarities in the arrangement of brushstrokes and hair. Dix employed thin lines of white tempera to introduce light into the composition, clearly echoing the Old Masters, as seen in the sparkle of Erfurth’s hair and of the small pearls decorating the lady’s hair in Lucas Cranach’s painting.
Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the eye)
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the eye)
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the eye)
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the eye)
EYE DIX/ CRANACH
Dix uses white pigment diluted in tempera medium applied in strong brushstrokes to heighten the impression of gleaming relief. This technique was used to treat the light that defines the moist appearance of the character’s eyes in these paintings.
Dix uses white pigment diluted in tempera medium applied in strong brushstrokes to heighten the impression of gleaming relief. This technique was used to treat the light that defines the moist appearance of the character’s eyes in these paintings.
Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the mouth)
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the mouth)
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the mouth)
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the mouth)
MOUTH DIX /CRANACH
There is a resemblance in the treatment of glazes, which show similar colorations despite the slight darkening observed in the lips of the sitter portrayed by Dix resulting from the more contrasted use of the grisaille technique. The union of the lips is emphasised, the colour later degrading softly towards the areas of light.
There is a resemblance in the treatment of glazes, which show similar colorations despite the slight darkening observed in the lips of the sitter portrayed by Dix resulting from the more contrasted use of the grisaille technique. The union of the lips is emphasised, the colour later degrading softly towards the areas of light.
Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the clothing)
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the clothing)
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the clothing)
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the clothing)
CLOTHING DIX/ CRANACH
Dix’s application of white tempera impastos to highlight certain features and ornamental details on drapery and clothing faithfully echoes the classical techniques, as observed in Lucas Cranach.
Dix’s application of white tempera impastos to highlight certain features and ornamental details on drapery and clothing faithfully echoes the classical techniques, as observed in Lucas Cranach.
Otto Dix
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the hand)
Hugo Erfurth with Dog, 1926
(detail of the hand)
Lucas Cranach, the Younger
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the hand)
Portrait of a Woman, 1539
(detail of the hand)
HAND DIX/ CRANACH
The position of the hand in Dix’s portrait recalls the iconographic composition of Renaissance portraits, in which elements representing the sitter’s profession, status or social standing were included, as seen in the comparison of the double ring and the representation of a single stone (cameo).
The position of the hand in Dix’s portrait recalls the iconographic composition of Renaissance portraits, in which elements representing the sitter’s profession, status or social standing were included, as seen in the comparison of the double ring and the representation of a single stone (cameo).