The Great Passion: Title Page - Christ, Man of Sorrows

The Great Passion: Title Page - Christ, Man of Sorrows by Albrecht Dürer, created around 1497, is a powerful early woodcut print that serves as the introductory image for his highly influential series, The Great Passion. This German masterwork, dating from the late 15th century, captures the intense religious fervor and theological concerns prevalent during the period, marking a significant early highlight in the artist’s extensive graphic career.

The subject depicts Christ presented tragically as the Man of Sorrows (Imago Pietatis), a devotional image designed to elicit piety and reflection from the viewer. He stands before the audience, bearing the visible wounds of the Crucifixion, crowned with thorns, and accompanied by the instruments of his suffering. This stark and humanizing depiction emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice, a central theme in late medieval German devotional art. Dürer’s revolutionary approach to the woodcut medium elevated prints from simple illustrations to complex, finely detailed works of art, capable of expressing deep emotional resonance through intricate line work and sophisticated cross-hatching, a technical innovation that set his German graphic production apart.

As a leading piece in The Great Passion series, this woodcut was crucial in establishing Dürer’s international reputation for sophisticated graphic production. The circulation of these high-quality prints allowed the artist’s dramatic interpretations of Biblical narratives to reach a wide audience across Germany and Europe, making his style universally recognizable. Due to its age and profound historical importance, this image is frequently referenced in art historical scholarship, and high-resolution versions of the work are often available in the public domain. This specific impression is held within the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.