Resurrection, from "The Small Woodcut Passion"

Original title: Resurrection, from "The Small Woodcut Passion"

Artist

Albrecht Dürer

Date

1509–10

Medium

Hand-colored woodcut

Credit line

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

kurzbeschreibung

Resurrection is a hand-colored woodcut by Albrecht Dürer, dating to 1509–10. Part of his Small Woodcut Passion series, it depicts Christ rising from the tomb, surrounded by startled soldiers. The work combines Dürer's precise linework with vivid, added color.

Description

Christ stands at the center, clad in a red robe, holding a cross in his right hand, with a radiant halo of light emanating from above. Around him, several soldiers lie on the ground or stand in varied poses, some holding weapons. The background features a landscape with trees, and the sky is filled with clouds and a glowing sunrise or sunset. The composition is balanced and symmetrical, with red, blue, and green dominating the palette.

Context

This print belongs to Dürer's Small Woodcut Passion, a series of 37 scenes from the Passion of Christ, published in 1511. Dürer produced the series during his mature period in Nuremberg, where he had established himself as a leading printmaker. The hand-coloring was applied by a contemporary colorist, a common practice for luxury copies of prints at the time. The series was highly popular and contributed to Dürer's widespread fame across Europe.

Impact

The vivid colors and dramatic lighting give the scene a sense of divine triumph and awe. The contrast between Christ's serene figure and the disordered soldiers enhances the miraculous nature of the event. The overall effect is both devotional and visually striking, drawing the viewer's eye to the central figure.

Technique

The work is a woodcut, created by carving the design into a wooden block, inking it, and pressing it onto paper. The hand-coloring was applied with water-based pigments, likely using brushes, to add red, blue, green, and other hues. Dürer's fine cutting technique allows for detailed contours and shading, which the colorist then enlivens with translucent washes.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain (CC0)