The Great Passion: The Flagellation

The Great Passion: The Flagellation by Albrecht Dürer (1497-1510) is a pivotal work in the history of graphic art and a cornerstone of the German Renaissance. Executed as a large-format woodcut, the image belongs to Dürer’s monumental series, The Great Passion, a cycle that dramatically redefined the artistic potential of the print medium. This powerful representation captures the suffering of Christ, tightly bound to a central column, enduring the punishment of two aggressively modeled flagellators. The scene, charged with violence and raw emotion, was crucial for communicating religious piety and theological narratives to a wide audience across Germany.

Dürer’s brilliance lies in his ability to imbue the traditionally restrictive woodcut technique with the detail and tonal nuance usually reserved for copperplate engraving. He achieves profound volumetric modeling through an intricate network of lines, cross-hatching, and varied density of pattern, creating stark contrasts between light and shadow. The masterful handling of anatomy and dynamic movement showcases the influence of Italian Renaissance ideals that Dürer integrated into Northern European art. The enduring popularity of this series ensured that these prints circulated widely, establishing Dürer as the undisputed master of graphic expression. This impression of The Great Passion: The Flagellation is held in the renowned collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a key moment in the history of European prints. As works of such historical significance, examples of Dürer’s graphic output often enter the public domain, allowing global accessibility to this fundamental contribution to art history.