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

Christ Nailed to the Cross, from "The Small Woodcut Passion" is a pivotal image created by Albrecht Dürer between 1509 and 1510. This hand-colored woodcut exemplifies the technical sophistication achieved in German Renaissance printmaking during the early sixteenth century. The piece is a key component of Dürer’s renowned series, The Small Woodcut Passion, designed to provide intimate, emotionally charged scenes from the life of Christ for private devotional study.

Dürer masterfully uses the demanding woodcut technique to convey the visceral agony central to the Crucifixion narrative. Unlike many contemporary works that depicted the completed act, this powerful print captures the harrowing moment preceding the raising of the cross. The focus is squarely on the brutal physicality involved as soldiers strain to secure the body of Christ to the crossbeam, driving the nails through his hands and feet. Dürer’s attention to human anatomy, combined with the intense emotional expressions of the figures, elevates this depiction of a core Christian subject.

As a prolific German Renaissance artist, Dürer ensured the wide dissemination of his religious iconography through these highly detailed and more affordable prints, influencing artistic trends across Europe. The Christ Nailed to the Cross woodcut demonstrates his graphic mastery and commitment to Renaissance ideals of form and proportion. This specific impression is held within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a key example of the master’s graphic work. Owing to its age and cultural importance, this image is frequently found in public domain resources, allowing students and art enthusiasts worldwide to study Dürer's enduring skill in printmaking.