Christ Appearing to His Mother, from "The Small Passion"

Christ Appearing to His Mother, from "The Small Passion" by Albrecht Dürer, created in 1510, is a masterful example of German Renaissance printmaking. Executed as a woodcut, this piece is one component of Dürer’s profoundly influential series known as "The Small Passion," a comprehensive collection of prints detailing the narrative cycle of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. This specific impression is highly valued for showcasing Dürer’s exceptional technical skill in manipulating the woodblock medium to achieve fine detail, tonal depth, and dramatic contrast, characteristics that elevated the status of graphic arts in the early 16th century.

The scene illustrates the non-scriptural yet deeply significant moment, commonly depicted in devotional art, when the resurrected Christ first appears to his grieving mother, the Virgin Mary. Dürer focuses the composition tightly on the encounter, utilizing meticulous cross-hatching and varied line weight to articulate the dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The tender gesture between Christ and the Virgin conveys the emotional intensity of their reunion, establishing a visual narrative of hope immediately following the Crucifixion.

The relatively low cost and portability of these prints ensured the rapid dissemination of Dürer’s sophisticated artistic style across Europe, securing his reputation as a leading figure of the German Renaissance. This impression of the woodcut resides within the distinguished collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). As a recognized masterwork, this piece contributes vitally to the understanding of early 16th-century religious iconography, and high-resolution images and prints of this historical artwork are frequently available through public domain collections for scholarly study and public appreciation.