The Flagellation, from The Large Passion

The Flagellation, from The Large Passion by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528, is a seminal work executed between 1496 and 1497, demonstrating the artist’s early maturity as a printmaker. This powerful depiction of Christ’s suffering is rendered as a woodcut in black on ivory laid paper. Dürer, a pivotal figure of the Northern Renaissance, was instrumental in elevating printmaking from a craft to an independent art form, defining the graphic arts for centuries to come. The Flagellation belongs to The Large Passion series, a celebrated cycle chronicling the final days of Christ, which profoundly influenced religious iconography across Europe.

The scene depicts the moment Christ is mercilessly scourged by two dynamic captors. Characteristic of Dürer’s mastery, the composition is highly dramatic, utilizing stark contrasts and dense cross-hatching, a technique usually reserved for engraving, to define volume and atmosphere in the woodcut medium. The production of prints in Germany during the late 15th century was instrumental in disseminating religious narratives to a wide audience, capitalizing on the rising accessibility of printed materials. As part of this monumental series, this piece showcases Dürer’s ambition to create print cycles that rivaled painted altarpieces in narrative complexity and emotional depth. Due to its historical significance, high-quality images of this masterwork are often made available through public domain initiatives, though this specific impression is preserved within the distinguished collection of prints at the Art Institute of Chicago.