The Small Passion: Christ Before Annas

The Small Passion: Christ Before Annas, created by Albrecht Dürer between 1509 and 1511, is a masterful example of the German Renaissance woodcut tradition. This print forms part of Dürer's renowned series, The Small Passion, a cycle of thirty-six illustrations detailing the final days of Christ. Unlike his earlier, larger passion series, Dürer designed this collection on a smaller, more intimate scale, making it highly reproducible and accessible to a wider audience across Germany and Europe.

In this dramatic scene, Christ stands bound, facing the aged Annas, who sits high on a judge's bench. Dürer utilizes dense cross-hatching and varied line weight, pushing the limits of the woodcut technique to achieve nuanced tonal variations usually associated with copperplate engraving. The composition is highly dynamic, typical of German printmaking of the period, emphasizing the psychological confrontation between the passive Christ and the aggressive crowd surrounding him. This highly detailed approach, allowing for deep shadows and intricate architectural settings, helped establish Dürer as the preeminent artist utilizing the print medium during this era.

Produced during a prolific era in Nuremberg, Germany, the publication of the The Small Passion series significantly cemented Dürer’s international reputation as a master of the printed image. The accessibility and quality of these prints ensured their wide circulation. This specific example, now held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, represents the height of early 16th-century graphic arts. Due to its age and influence, this important work is widely studied and often available through public domain resources, promoting continued scholarly access to Dürer's monumental legacy.