Christ before Caiaphas, from "The Passion"

Christ before Caiaphas, from The Passion, is a significant engraving created by the German master Albrecht Dürer in 1512. This highly detailed print belongs to a renowned series that chronicles the final days of Christ, showcasing Dürer’s absolute command over the burin, the primary tool used for engraving. Produced during the High Renaissance, the work exemplifies the period's blending of intense dramatic action with meticulously realized detail, characteristic of the Northern European style.

The scene depicts Jesus standing before the high priest Caiaphas, surrounded by several imposing soldiers and other critical men of the court. Dürer focuses on the stark contrast between the humble yet resolute figure of Christ and the worldly power represented by his accusers. The composition is deliberately tight and claustrophobic, heightening the tension of the judicial proceeding. As an independent print, this piece was intended for widespread dissemination, allowing complex devotional imagery to reach a broad audience throughout Germany and beyond, greatly contributing to Dürer’s international fame.

The technical sophistication of Dürer’s cross-hatching and line work is evident throughout the piece, creating dramatic shifts in light and shadow that define volumes and texture with unparalleled precision. This work demonstrates the artist's ability to imbue small-scale printmaking with the monumental gravity typically reserved for painting. This masterwork of Renaissance printmaking is housed within the prestigious collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and historical importance, such early The Passion prints are often now available for study and viewing in the public domain, securing Dürer's legacy as the foremost engraver of his era.