The Harrowing of Hell - Christ in Limbo, plate nine from The Large Passion is a powerful woodcut created by Albrecht Dürer German, 1471-1528 in 1510. Executed skillfully in black ink on ivory laid paper, this print exemplifies the German master's technical brilliance and narrative skill during the height of the Northern Renaissance.
The composition is the ninth plate in Dürer’s monumental series, The Large Passion, which was completed between 1497 and 1511. Unlike his earlier, finer engravings, Dürer embraced the popular and reproducible nature of the woodcut medium for this project, allowing these powerful prints to reach a vast audience across Germany and Europe, cementing his influence.
The subject depicts Christ descending into Limbo after his crucifixion, an apocryphal event known as the Harrowing of Hell. Dürer’s dramatic design captures the moment as Christ, holding the banner of the Resurrection, forcibly breaks down the cavernous gates of Hell and frees the righteous souls waiting within, including Adam and Eve. The surrounding demons recoil in terror from the light emanating from Christ. The complexity of the crowded scene is rendered with intricate lines and profound contrast, maximizing the visual force and graphic potential of the woodcut technique.
This exceptional example of early 16th-century German printmaking demonstrates Dürer’s foundational role in the history of the graphic arts. The work resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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