Christ Before Annas, from "The Small Passion"

Christ Before Annas, from "The Small Passion" by Albrecht Dürer, is a powerful early 16th-century print created between 1508 and 1509. This dramatic scene is one panel within Dürer’s influential series of thirty-six woodcuts detailing the life and suffering of Christ. Produced at the height of the German Renaissance, the series demonstrated Dürer’s unparalleled mastery of the woodcut medium, allowing him to distribute religious imagery widely across Europe to a rapidly growing audience for prints.

The subject matter depicts Christ, bound and facing the high priest Annas, marking one of the first judicial stages of the Passion narrative. Dürer focuses on the intense psychological tension between the central men, contrasting the stoic resignation of Christ with the authoritative posture of Annas and his surrounding officials. Despite the small scale of the work, the density of detail is extraordinary, a hallmark of this master printmaker. Dürer’s innovative use of deeply carved parallel and crosshatching lines effectively manipulates light and shadow, giving the figures a sculptural presence unusual for woodcut prints of the era.

As a foundational work in the history of graphic arts, this piece exemplifies how Dürer elevated the perception of prints from simple illustrations to high art forms. The widespread popularity of "The Small Passion" series cemented the artist's international reputation during the period. The excellent condition of this print ensured its careful preservation. Today, this impression of Christ Before Annas is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and its status ensures that images of this important work are often made available through public domain archives.