Christ on the Cross
1508
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 5 1/4 × 3 7/8 in. (13.4 × 9.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The George Khuner Collection, Gift of Mrs. George Khuner, 1968
Accession Number
68.793.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer’s *Christ on the Cross* (1508) is a masterful example of early sixteenth-century printmaking. Created during the Northern Renaissance, Dürer was renowned for elevating engraving to a fine art form, using the medium’s precise lines to achieve remarkable detail and emotional depth in small-scale works. This intimate engraving, measuring just over five inches tall, was designed for private contemplation rather than large public display. The composition centers on the Crucifixion, a theme central to Christian devotion at the time, with the Virgin Mary among the figures at the foot ...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...