Christ Taking Leave from his Mother, from "The Small Passion"
Original title: Christ Taking Leave from his Mother, from "The Small Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Christ's farewell to Mary, a moment not found in the Gospels but common in late medieval Passion literature, is the subject of this woodcut by Albrecht Dürer from the 'Small Passion' around 1508. The print describes the two figures' parting as a quiet encounter under the open sky.
Description
Christ, in a long-sleeved robe and cloak, stands in front and raises his hands as if speaking or blessing. Mary, to his left, holds his arm and looks at him in sorrow; she wears a long dress and a head covering. Behind them lies a farmhouse surrounded by trees, and further back other figures and a town with church towers can be made out. Vertical lines form the shadows, while the light areas of the wood's structure accent the highlights.
Context
The 'Small Passion' comprises 37 woodcuts on Christ's suffering and was made in 1508–1509 in Nuremberg, where Dürer worked as a sought-after artist and printmaker. The series was intended for a broad audience and often served as a devotional image. Christ's farewell to his mother is not attested in the Gospels, yet it was widespread in late medieval Passion literature.
Impact
Fine lines and a clear layout give the scene a calm, dignified mood. Christ's gesture and Mary's grief intensify the expression and draw the viewer into the events of the Passion. Thanks to the precise handling of light and shadow, the small format nonetheless appears monumental.
Technique
The interplay of dense parallel hatching and untouched white areas gives the farewell its emotional charge: shadow gathers around the grieving mother, while light falls on Christ's raised hands. Line alone, without color, directs the eye from the two figures to the distant city and its towers, binding narrative depth to a strictly linear structure.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)