Bettbrunn? Never heard. Lucas Cranach? But yes! Those who do not regularly go on a pilgrimage to Bettbrunn will probably not be familiar with the parish village in the Köschinger Forst. It has long since been incorporated into the market town of Kösching in the Upper Bavarian district of Eichstätt, north-east of Ingolstadt. At the last count in the summer of 2021, there were just 263 residents.
And in the midst of them, in the Church of St. Salvator, which will celebrate “900 years of pilgrimage” in 2025, a 450-year-old panel painting has been hanging for ages. But only now is this “Salvator Mundi” getting more attention. The painting, which has not been lovingly restored several times, is currently in the care of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments. Its specialists examine the image of Christ for an interesting suspicion. They believe the painting could be by Lucas Cranch the Younger (1515 to 1586). The experts use the latest technology to search for evidence for their thesis.
“LC” is written in fine letters above the crown of this Savior. This monogram could be interpreted as the signature “Lucas Cranach” and is considered an important clue. Nevertheless, it cannot yet be said with certainty whether the painting from 1570 is actually a “genuine” Cranach. The painterly quality is “extraordinary” according to the monument conservators, whose expertise – less present in public perception – also includes the fine arts of past centuries, especially in churches and castles.
That’s why restorers from the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments now want to unravel the mystery of authorship. Extensive art-technological and art-historical investigations are necessary. In addition, the experts will develop a concept for conservation and, if necessary, restoration. It should also be researched how the work of art is best preserved in the future so that it can be preserved for posterity for as long as possible.
“We are curious to see whether Cranach’s oeuvre will soon be enriched by a work of art. Thanks to the most modern technologies that are available to us today, we may soon be able to add a chapter to art history with UV, X-ray and infrared examinations,” says General Curator Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments.
However, there is no reason to fear that the painting might not return to Bettbrunn. So valuable is an opus by Cranach the Younger, who is still a little overshadowed by his father, Martin Luther’s close friend, then again not. The restorers speak of a market price in the mid five-digit range for the church-owned work, which is not for sale anyway. In the future, however, a few particularly curious art lovers could also mingle with the pilgrims who always move in the direction of St. Salvator in October.