← Albrecht Dürer

The Bearing of the Cross, from "The Small Woodcut Passion"

Original title: The Bearing of the Cross, from "The Small Woodcut Passion"

Artist

Albrecht Dürer

Date

1509–10

Medium

Hand-colored woodcut

Dimensions

sheet: 5 x 3 13/16 in. (12.7 x 9.7 cm)

Credit line

The George Khuner Collection, Gift of Mrs. George Khuner, 1975

kurzbeschreibung

Albrecht Dürer's hand-colored woodcut Christ Carrying the Cross, made in 1509–10, belongs to his Small Woodcut Passion. It shows Jesus Christ bearing the cross and enduring agony. The print stands in the tradition of late Gothic religious art.

Description

Christ wears a crown of thorns and grips the crossbeam with one hand; his face is contorted in pain. Around him stand soldiers with lances and shields, along with onlookers in medieval clothing of red, blue, and green. A city with a castle and other buildings closes off the distance. Strong colors, rich linework, and an even, shadowless light define the image.

Context

The Small Woodcut Passion, created between 1509 and 1511, consists of 37 sheets and tells the story of Christ's suffering. These woodcuts circulated as single sheets or in book form and reached a wide audience. Coloring was often done by workshops that painted the sheets afterward.

Impact

The image brings Christ's suffering close, underscored by precise linework and deep colors. The arrangement draws the eye to the main figure and evokes a calm, devotional mood.

Technique

Auf dem Blatt verbinden sich gedruckte Linien und Schraffuren mit einer später von Hand aufgetragenen Farbigkeit, wobei die Tusche des Drucks und die Malschicht nebeneinander auf dem Papier liegen. Die gleichmäßige, schattenlose Ausleuchtung der Szene geht wesentlich auf die druckgraphische Lineatur zurück, während die lebhaften Rot-, Blau- und Grüntöne den Zustand des erhaltenen Blattes als farbig gefassten Abzug prägen. So entsteht der Eindruck einer detailreichen, religiösen Darstellung, deren Wirkung sich aus dem Zusammenspiel von Druck und nachträglicher Kolorierung ergibt.

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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)