The Small Passion: Christ Being Nailed to the Cross

The Small Passion: Christ Being Nailed to the Cross by Albrecht Dürer is a profound example of German Renaissance printmaking, executed as a woodcut between 1509 and 1511. This powerful image forms an essential part of Dürer's seminal series, The Small Passion, a cycle that provided widely accessible devotional imagery and dramatically influenced Christian iconography across Europe.

Unlike his more detailed Engraved Passion series, Dürer utilized the woodcut medium here, favoring bold lines and dramatic black-and-white contrasts ideal for mass reproduction and popular dissemination. The scene captures the brutal physical exertion required to fix Christ to the cross. Dürer emphasizes the intense suffering and chaos of the moment, employing a dynamic, compressed composition where the numerous executioners and Roman soldiers crowd around the victim. The density of the figures and their varied emotional responses heighten the dramatic tension inherent in the narrative of sacrifice.

The publication of these prints in the early 16th century solidified Dürer’s reputation as the undisputed master of graphic arts in Germany. His ability to convey monumental themes through the intimate scale of the print format ensured these works were sought-after commodities across the continent. Although printed nearly five centuries ago, the widespread distribution of Dürer’s works means that impressions, often categorized as public domain material, remain vital references for art history. This fine impression of the woodcut is preserved within the esteemed collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.