Crucifixion

The powerful depiction of the Crucifixion was executed by the master Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, in 1508. This influential print, classified specifically as an engraving rendered in black on ivory laid paper, marks a high point in the artist's mature career. Dürer, central to the flourishing artistic activity in Germany during the early sixteenth century, utilized the copperplate engraving technique to achieve a level of minute detail and dramatic intensity that far exceeded the capabilities of contemporary woodcuts. This piece is characteristic of the artist's innovative approach to sacred iconography, demonstrating how Dürer distributed visually complex and emotionally resonant religious scenes across Europe through mass-produced prints.

Dürer’s complete mastery of the burin is evident in the precise, controlled lines used to define the musculature of Christ and the varied textures of the distant landscape and gathered figures. The composition focuses intimately on the central event, utilizing deeply shadowed areas contrasted with sharp highlights. Unlike contemporary Italian artists who sometimes relied on broad chiaroscuro, Dürer built form and shadow through intricate cross-hatching and fine parallel strokes, imparting a sculptural, almost metallic quality to the finished image appropriate for the somber subject matter. The execution date places this work shortly after Dürer’s second journey to Italy, reflecting his successful synthesis of Northern European technical exactitude with the classical forms he encountered in the South. This seminal German Renaissance print is currently housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.