Noli Me Tangere, from The Passion of Christ, plate 25

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Grégoire Huret, titled *Noli Me Tangere* and dated 1664, captures a pivotal moment from the Passion of Christ. The scene depicts the resurrected Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene in the garden, as she reaches toward him and he utters the words “Touch me not.” As plate 25 in Huret’s series on the Passion, the work forms part of a larger narrative sequence that guided viewers through the key events of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Created through the precise lines and tonal contrasts of engraving, the print allowed this sacred subject to reach a broad audience beyond the walls of churches or palaces. Engravings like this one were widely circulated in the seventeenth century, serving both devotional and educational purposes for the faithful. Huret’s careful rendering emphasizes the emotional encounter between the divine and human figures, inviting quiet contemplation. Housed today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the sheet measures nearly twenty by fourteen inches, its scale lending presence to the intimate biblical moment. The work stands as a testament to the enduring power of religious imagery in European art.

About the Artist

Grégoire Huret · 1606–1670

French draftsman and printmaker. Comment on works: Engraver & draftsman