The Temptation of Christ, from Das Plenarium
Medium
Woodcut (hand-colored)
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 11/16 × 2 11/16 in. (9.4 × 6.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1961
Accession Number
61.663.345
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Temptation of Christ a delicate hand-colored woodcut from Schäufelein's illustrations for *Das Plenarium*, popular German prayer book published by Adam Petri in 1517. This tiny print (just under 4 by 3 inches) captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus resists Satan's temptations in the wilderness—a scene rich with themes of faith, trial, and divine strength. Schäufelein, a Nuremberg artist trained in Albrecht Dürer's workshop, the Northern Renaissance's mastery of woodcuts, a technique that allowed intricate designs to be carved into wood blocks for...
About the Artist
Hans Schäufelein|Adam Petri · 1480–1540
Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...