Ecce Homo, from "The Small Passion"

Ecce Homo, from "The Small Passion," by Albrecht Dürer, is a masterful woodcut dating to 1509. This superb example of Northern Renaissance printmaking forms part of the celebrated series known as The Small Passion, a set of thirty-six meticulously crafted woodcuts detailing the life, sacrifice, and ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dürer’s dedication to producing high-quality prints played a crucial role in disseminating his artistic influence across Europe and establishing the woodcut as a serious, commercially viable medium for religious and narrative art.

The work depicts the climactic moment described in the Gospels where Pontius Pilate presents the scourged Christ to the hostile Jerusalem crowd, uttering the Latin phrase, Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man"). Dürer’s compositional skill is evident in the dynamic grouping of human figures. The central figure of Jesus, fragile yet dignified, stands slightly elevated, bound and crowned with thorns. Below and around him are Roman soldiers wielding various weapons, including halberds and spears, juxtaposed against the agitated civilians.

The artist’s expertise in the demanding woodcut technique is apparent in the dense linear cross-hatching and stark light contrasts used to convey dramatic tension. This piece showcases Dürer’s signature attention to anatomical detail while employing the dense linear cross-hatching typical of Northern Renaissance printmaking. Classified as a foundational work in the history of German prints, the piece is housed in the renowned collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, preserving the enduring legacy of one of the 16th century’s greatest graphic artists.