The Lamentation, from "The Small Passion"
Original title: The Lamentation, from "The Small Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1509 Albrecht Dürer made the woodcut 'The Lamentation of Christ' as part of his 'Small Passion' series. It shows the mourning over Jesus's body, surrounded by grieving figures. The print measures 12.9 × 9.8 cm.
Description
Christ's lifeless body lies at the centre, encircled by several figures whose grief is expressed in vivid gestures. Some raise their arms, others remain in prayer. Trees and a building suggest the setting. The arrangement feels balanced and directs the eye to the dead man. Finest lines and hatching model shadow and depth in the monochrome print.
Context
The woodcut was made around 1509 in Nuremberg; it belongs to Dürer's 'Small Passion', which appeared as a book with 37 woodcuts in 1511. The series addressed a broad public and was intended for private devotion. During this creative phase Dürer devoted himself intensively to religious subjects and printmaking.
Impact
A quiet yet profound sorrow speaks from the image, carried by the balanced arrangement and expressive gestures. The richness of lines creates a dense, almost meditative mood that draws the viewer into the event.
Technique
Dürer's fine lines and cross-hatching, incised with the precision his small format demanded, render the mourning figures' expressive gestures and draped garments with sharp clarity against the trees and building behind them. Light and shadow emerge evenly across the monochrome composition, giving the symmetrical scene its quiet, concentrated depth.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)