Lichaam van Christus door engelen omhoog gedragen

About this artwork

Het dode lichaam van Christus wordt door kleine engelen in een doek naar de hemel gedragen. Rechts zweeft een engel met de doornenkroon als verwijzing naar de Passie van Christus. Op de originele afdruk is God de Vader en de Heilige Geest in de stralenkrans boven de engelenkoren weergegeven. Dit fragment ontbreekt hier, mogelijk is het bewust verwijderd en vervangen door een lege stralenkrans met pen in bruin op een ingezet stukje papier.

Art Historical Context

**Lichaam van Christus engelen omhoog gedragenBody of Christ Carried Upward by Angels *Hans Baldung Grien, 1515–1517, Paper, 221 × 153 mm* In this poignant print by Hans Baldung Grien, leading figure of the Northern Renaissance and former apprentice to Albrecht Dürer, the lifeless body of Christ is tenderly toward heaven by a cluster of small angels cradling Him in a shroud. To the right, an angel holds the crown of thorns, a vivid reminder of Christ's Passion and sacrifice. Created during the early 16th century amid fervent religious devotion in the Holy Roman Empire, the work captures the mystical theme of the *Anima Christi*, blending tender piety with Baldung's signature dramatic intensity and intricate line work typical of his woodcuts. What makes this piece particularly intriguing is its alteration: the original depiction of God the Father and the Holy Spirit within a radiant halo above the angels has been excised. In its place, a blank rayed circle was added in brown ink on a small inserted patch of paper—likely intentional, perhaps to adapt the image for changing theological tastes or personal devotion during the dawning Reformation era. Baldung's mastery of printmaking on paper allowed such religious icons to reach wide audiences, making complex spiritual narratives accessible and emotionally resonant. This small yet powerful artwork exemplifies how Northern Renaissance prints fused Gothic expressiveness with emerging humanist detail, inviting viewers to contemplate divine mercy and human mortality.

About the Artist

Hans Baldung Grien

Hans Baldung, known by the nickname Grien, was born around 1484 or 1485 in Schwäbisch Gmünd, in the Swabia region of what is now Germany. He came from a distinguished academic family — his father Johann Baldung was a university-educated jurist who served as legal adviser to the bishop of Strasbourg — making Hans a notable exception as the first male in his family not to attend university, and one ...