The Mocking of Christ, from "The Small Passion"
Original title: The Mocking of Christ, from "The Small Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Roman soldiers surround Christ and mock him. Albrecht Dürer turned this theme into a woodcut around 1508. The print belongs to the 'Little Passion' series and uses no color. Christ stands at the center; the soldiers have handed him a crown of thorns.
Description
Christ, clothed in a robe with a band around his forehead, is encircled by several soldiers. One of them holds out the crown of thorns to him, while others kneel in shifting poses, giving the image movement. An arch or gateway with a door and a window opening closes off the space behind. The figures wear garments typical of biblical narratives.
Context
Between 1508 and 1512 Dürer worked on the 'Little Passion,' a series of 36 woodcuts on the suffering of Christ. It was intended for a broad audience and often served as a devotional image. Woodcut allowed biblical scenes to be circulated in large numbers.
Impact
The layout is lively and draws the eye to what the soldiers are doing. Crisply cut lines make the action clear and pull the viewer in. That the print knows only black and white underscores the seriousness of the subject.
Technique
The varying spacing and density of the lines build the shading, so that hatching alone conjures light and depth across the figures and the architecture. Fine, precise linework, characteristic of Dürer's handling of the medium, gives the scene its clarity and detail.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)