Engraved copies of The Little Passion

The collection titled Engraved copies of The Little Passion by Albrecht Dürer represents a significant series of prints charting the narrative of Christ’s suffering and resurrection. While Dürer’s original woodcuts and engravings for this seminal series were produced around 1509-1511, the expansive date range of 1485 to 1699 applied to these copies underscores the immense and enduring influence of the German Renaissance master across centuries. This type of printmaking, executed as fine line engraving, allowed Dürer to achieve unparalleled detail and emotional depth, transforming the role of the print in Northern European devotional art.

The series follows episodes central to Christian doctrine, focusing primarily on the life of Jesus, featuring dramatic and often tender depictions involving the Virgin Mary, various Apostles, and accompanying angels. As a set of prints, the work was designed to be easily disseminated across the continent, allowing a wider public access to Dürer's innovative style and narrative vision. The mastery of cross-hatching and precision demonstrated in these engravings established a new technical standard for graphic arts.

The continued study of these specific copies provides crucial insight into late medieval and early modern religious devotion and the market for reproducible art. This collection of historical prints is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a cornerstone example of how the reproducible medium elevated Dürer’s legacy, positioning him as the preeminent printmaker of his era. Many such works, having entered the public domain, continue to be admired and utilized by scholars and artists today.