Christ Nailed to the Cross, from "The Small Passion"

Christ Nailed to the Cross, from "The Small Passion" is a seminal woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer in 1509. This print belongs to the artist's acclaimed series, The Small Passion, a set of thirty-seven individual illustrations plus a title page, which vividly chronicles the suffering and sacrifice of Christ. Produced during Dürer’s mature phase, this work exemplifies the technical refinement he brought to the woodcut medium, transforming it from a relatively coarse technique into a vehicle capable of fine detail and dramatic tonal modeling, rivalling the sophistication of copper engraving.

The scene captures the brutal physical effort preceding the moment of elevation. Christ is shown already affixed to the heavy cross, dominating the tight composition. Around him, muscular executioners (Men) strain and push the structure, their forceful movements conveying the grueling reality of the task. Distraught figures, including Women, look on, emphasizing the intense human emotion surrounding the event. Dürer’s focused narrative approach avoids unnecessary theatricality, concentrating instead on the physical trauma and the essential details related to the Cross.

This influential example of Northern Renaissance graphic art is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The dissemination of religious imagery through readily available prints, particularly series like The Small Passion, dramatically broadened Dürer’s impact across 16th-century Europe. As a masterwork of early German prints, the series remains highly significant to art history. Because Dürer’s works are now securely in the public domain, they continue to serve as fundamental studies for artists and historians globally.