Christ before Caiphas, from "The Passion"
Original title: Christ before Caiphas, from "The Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Lucas Cranach the Elder made this woodcut as part of his series 'The Passion', and it presents Christ before the high priest Caiphas. The sheet stays entirely in black and white and measures 25.4 by 17.3 centimetres.
Description
Christ stands in the foreground in a plain robe, his bearing resigned, while soldiers press in around him, some in armour and helmets, others plainly dressed. A dog lies on the ground, adding to the sense of abandonment. Toward the back a coat of arms appears, and at the right a helmeted figure embodies authority. Clean linear forms define the print; the light falls evenly and no strong shadows develop.
Context
Cranach's woodcut series 'The Passion' came about in the first half of the 16th century, during a period of religious upheaval in Germany. The suffering of Christ was a widespread subject in the Reformation era and served religious instruction. The series shows the influence of Albrecht Dürer, who likewise published a Passion as a set of woodcuts. The coat of arms suggests a patron or dedicatee.
Impact
Clearly guided lines and Christ's calm, dignified stance give the sheet its character. Despite the threat posed by the soldiers, the tone remains narrative rather than dramatic. With colour absent, the layout and the gestures of the figures come to the fore.
Technique
The relief printing method of the woodcut was used here: the drawing is cut into the wood and then printed onto paper. Cranach worked with fine lines for detail and with broader areas for the shadowed passages. Printing was in black on white paper, as was customary for early printmaking.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)