Christ on the Mount of Olives, from "The Passion"

Christ on the Mount of Olives, from "The Passion," is a profound engraving created by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer in 1508. This complex print, executed using the demanding technique of line engraving, showcases Dürer’s technical brilliance and his ability to convey deep emotional resonance through light and shadow.

The composition focuses on the moment of Christ’s final, agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Kneeling on a rocky outcrop, Christ is depicted receiving solace and confirmation from an Angel who appears above him, holding the symbolic Cross as a visual prophecy of the crucifixion to come. The dark, heavily worked background sharply contrasts with the illuminated figure of the Savior, amplifying the spiritual drama of the scene.

The lower register features the sleeping figures of the three Apostles-the Men Jesus asked to watch and wait-who are shown unaware of the immense spiritual conflict occurring just feet away. Dürer masterfully uses the burin to render the rough textures of the landscape, the folds of the heavy robes, and the psychological weight borne by Christ. This technical mastery made Dürer's prints extremely influential across Northern Europe. Created early in the 16th century, this piece is an iconic example of the Renaissance fascination with humanizing biblical events. The original impression is preserved within the distinguished collection of German prints and drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.