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Last week we wrote about the return of the work "The Mourning of Christ" from Lucas Cranach's workshop, after the turmoil of war to Wrocław. This week, we are going to tell the no less interesting story of the return of a painting by the same artist, this time the story of the "Madonna under the fir trees".

The work by Cranach

The "Madonna under the fir trees" was painted in 1510 by Lucas Cranach, the leading painter of the German Renaissance. Around 1517 the master's work was transported from Wittenberg to the cathedral in Wrocław. At the end of the 19th century, the painting was transferred to the cathedral treasury. In the painting, the viewer can see Mary with little Jesus on her knees, who is holding grapes in her hand. In the background, there is a green mountainous landscape with birch and fir trees. It is an oil painting on board and measures 71 x 57 cm. The work belonged to one of the most valuable works lost during (just after) World War II. 

Thoughtful theft

Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the painting by Lucas Cranach was located in the Diözesanmuseum (now the Archdiocesan Museum in Wrocław) and the work underwent conservation and restoration. It was carried out by the German clergyman Siegrid Zimmer. Years later and thanks to the research carried out by the conservator Daniela Stankiewicz (in 1961) it turned out that he had created a copy and taken the original to Germany. The original was sold in Munich in the 1960s. It is known that in 1985 the work was sold again and went to Switzerland. At the beginning of the 21st century, a private collector gave the work to the Swiss Church, which eventually decided to return the "Madonna under the fir trees" to its rightful owner. 

Return to Poland

In 2012, with the help of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Madonna under the firs" returned to Poland for good. The painting was placed in the collection of the Archdiocesan Museum in Wrocław. Until 27 February this year, the work, together with "Adam and Eve" by the same master, can be seen at a temporary exhibition in the National Museum in Warsaw. 

Added 2022-02-12 in by Alicja Graczyk

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