Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen, from "The Small Passion"

"Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen, from "The Small Passion" is a masterful woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer in 1510. This work is a crucial component of Dürer’s influential series known as "The Small Passion," which provided affordable, accessible religious narratives to a wide audience during the German Renaissance. The detailed execution inherent in the print medium allowed the artist to distribute complex theological themes far beyond the reach of traditional painting commissions.

The scene depicts the famous post-Resurrection encounter between Christ and Mary Magdalene, typically referred to as Noli me tangere ("Do not touch me"). Dürer expertly utilizes the strict limitations of the woodcut technique to achieve dramatic depth and tonal variation, meticulously rendering textures in both the foreground and background landscape. The composition captures the moment where Christ, holding the banner of victory, appears to Mary Magdalene, who kneels before him, having initially mistaken him for the gardener. The intense focus on the figures underscores the emotional and theological significance of the revelation in this narrative cycle.

Dürer’s dedication to producing high-quality prints fundamentally altered the status of printmaking as an art form in the early sixteenth century. His graphic innovations ensured that complex, detailed imagery could be rapidly disseminated across Europe. This particular piece showcases Dürer’s signature ability to balance dramatic intensity with minute detail, a hallmark of his graphic works. A fine impression of this historic print is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Given its age and cultural importance, this work is often recognized as being in the public domain, making high-resolution images widely available for study.