The Flagellation

The Flagellation by Albrecht Dürer, created in 1512, is a profound masterwork of the Northern Renaissance, executed in the demanding medium of engraving. This striking print exemplifies the German artist’s legendary precision and technical mastery of the burin, the tool used to incise lines into the copper plate. As one of the most important printmakers in the history of art, Dürer utilized the medium’s capacity for fine line work and deep contrast to achieve dramatic intensity within a relatively small format.

The composition depicts Christ bound to a column, undergoing the brutal act of flagellation by two aggressive tormentors. Dürer focuses intently on the figures' anatomy and the inherent violence of the Passion narrative. The deep shadows and intricate cross-hatching, characteristic of Dürer’s mature style, demonstrate why his prints were so widely distributed throughout 16th-century Europe. Every detail, from the ropes binding Christ to the musculature of the aggressors, is rendered with meticulous clarity, defining the standard for graphic arts of the period.

The wide circulation of such religious prints significantly contributed to Dürer’s international fame, making him an internationally recognized artistic figure from Germany. Unlike large-scale altarpieces, these portable works allowed profound religious imagery to reach a broad audience, playing a crucial role in shaping artistic trends across Europe. This compelling work resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Due to the antiquity and historical importance of the piece, high-quality images of this classic print are now commonly available through public domain archives, allowing scholars and enthusiasts worldwide to study Dürer’s enduring contribution to printmaking.