The Crucifixion, from The Passion (copy)

The Crucifixion, from The Passion (copy) by Albrecht Dürer is a significant early engraving classified within the prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Executed sometime between 1485 and 1600, this dramatic devotional scene exemplifies the profound influence of the German Renaissance master on graphic arts and printmaking techniques across Europe.

Dürer transformed the status of prints, raising the medium from a craft to a recognized high art form. This piece, whether an original impression or a faithful copy, showcases the technical demands of the engraving process, which required the artist to incise precise lines into a copper plate using a burin. The resulting fine details and tonal variations allowed for the widespread dissemination of complex compositions, cementing Dürer’s international reputation.

The central subject focuses on the climactic moment of the Crucifixion of Christ. The scene is densely populated by numerous figures, including men and women, who mourn or observe the tragic event at Golgotha. The emotional intensity characteristic of Dürer’s Passion series is powerfully conveyed through the dramatic positioning and anguished expressions of the figures clustered beneath the cross.

While this specific print may be a copy based on a lost or earlier Dürer design, its existence underscores the massive distribution and enduring influence of the master’s work. As seminal works of the Northern Renaissance, Dürer's prints are widely studied, and high-resolution images are often made available to the public through public domain initiatives by institutions like The Met.