Christ Expelling the Money Lenders, from "The Small Passion"

Christ Expelling the Money Lenders, from "The Small Passion" is a powerful woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer between 1508 and 1509. This piece belongs to Dürer’s famed series, The Small Passion, a cycle of thirty-six illustrations detailing the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which were intended for wide public dissemination. It exemplifies the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during the height of the Northern Renaissance.

The scene depicts the dramatic New Testament moment when Christ, angered by the commercialization of the sacred space, violently confronts the merchants and money changers. Dürer utilizes the woodcut medium to convey the frantic energy of the expulsion, sharply contrasting the focused rage of Christ with the panic of the other men. The powerful figure of Christ dominates the foreground as he drives out the merchants, overturning their tables and wares. Dürer’s meticulous use of line work, essential to the printmaking process, emphasizes the chaotic movement and the dense architecture of the Temple interior.

Unlike Dürer's earlier, larger print cycles, The Small Passion was designed to be small and more affordable, contributing significantly to its popularity and widespread influence across Europe by making detailed religious iconography accessible to a broader audience. This iconic series cemented Dürer’s reputation as the foremost producer of Renaissance prints. As a historic work of art, this impressive piece resides in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a key example of Dürer’s graphic genius. Due to the work's age and cultural significance, high-quality images of this woodcut are often available through the public domain for scholarly study.