Deposition, from "The Small Woodcut Passion"

Deposition, from "The Small Woodcut Passion," by Albrecht Dürer, created between 1509 and 1510, is a profoundly moving example of the Northern Renaissance master’s genius in the production of religious prints. This specific impression is a hand-colored woodcut, a medium Dürer elevated through his meticulous attention to detail and ability to achieve rich tonal variations that rivaled copperplate engraving. The practice of hand-coloring, seen here, was a common technique used by owners or print sellers to enhance the visual appeal and decorative quality of affordable prints intended for private devotion.

The composition depicts the emotional moment immediately following the removal of Christ from the cross, preparing his body for burial. The scene is heavy with grief, capturing the profound sorrow surrounding the death of the Redeemer. Numerous men and women, identifiable through their distinctive roles and expressions, surround the central figure of Christ. Mary, the Virgin Mother, is supported by grieving women as she witnesses the sad preparation for the tomb. Dürer masterfully uses the stark contrasts inherent in the woodcut medium to focus the viewer's attention on the sacredness of the Burials ritual and the intense suffering of the participants.

This work is part of "The Small Woodcut Passion" series, a highly successful and influential cycle that provided devotional imagery in a compact format suitable for personal contemplation. The series solidified Dürer’s status as the most important graphic artist of his time, proving that the woodcut could convey the same dramatic intensity as painting. This historically significant print is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.