The Flagellation, from "The Small Passion"
Original title: The Flagellation, from "The Small Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Created around 1509, this woodcut by Albrecht Dürer belongs to the series 'The Small Passion'. It presents the Flagellation of Christ: Jesus is bound to a column and beaten by Roman soldiers.
Description
Christ, tied to a post, dominates the foreground, with four soldiers surrounding him. Two draw back their whips, while the others look on. Jesus wears a simple robe, his posture expressing agony. Trees and buildings hint at the setting. The layout brings the action forcefully to the front.
Context
Between 1509 and 1511, Dürer produced the 'Small Passion', a series of 37 woodcuts. He was then working in Nuremberg, where he ranked among the most respected artists. These prints served a wide audience as devotional images and circulated widely.
Impact
A clear structure and richly varied linework carry the drama of the event. Even light and the restriction to black and white create a serious, contemplative tone.
Technique
Dürer carved this motif in reverse into a wooden plate, from which the image was then taken. The resulting print brings out the fine hatching that models the bound body of Christ and the four soldiers, the clear linear structure of the figures, and the even, uncoloured light that defines the landscape background.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)