Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen, from "The Small Passion"
Original title: Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen, from "The Small Passion"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many contemporary Resurrection scenes that place the tomb and the empty sarcophagus at the centre, this print focuses entirely on the meeting between Christ and Mary Magdalene. The woodcut was made around 1510 as part of Albrecht Dürer's 'Small Passion'. It depicts the biblical encounter after the Resurrection, executed in monochrome woodcut technique on paper.
Description
Christ stands in the foreground, plainly dressed and wearing a hat, his right hand holding a shovel. His gaze is directed at the kneeling woman, identifiable as Mary Magdalene: she wears a scarf on her head and holds a bowl in her left hand. Her posture betrays astonishment. Trees, a building and a few distant figures stagger the space towards the back. Rays of light emanate from Christ, falling from above.
Context
Between 1509 and 1511 Dürer worked in Nuremberg on the woodcut series 'The Small Passion', which comprises 37 sheets. It was intended for a broad market, which is reflected in the small formats and the comparatively simple execution. The motif follows the Gospel of John (chapter 20): after the Resurrection, Christ meets Mary Magdalene, who initially takes him for the gardener – hence the shovel.
Impact
The layout brings the interaction between Christ and Mary Magdalene to the fore. The rays of light and the contrast between the foreground and background zones support this focus. Clear lines and the omission of details create a calm, devotional mood that emphasises the supernatural apparition.
Technique
Dürer uses fine lines and hatching to achieve depth and shadow, a hallmark of his printmaking that gives the scene a sculptural clarity. The monochrome palette of the woodcut sharpens the contrast between the radiant Christ and the kneeling Magdalene, heightening her astonishment. The small format of the sheet also supported the wide dissemination of the image.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)