The Small Passion: Christ Washing St. Peter's Feet

The Small Passion: Christ Washing St. Peter's Feet by Albrecht Dürer is a masterful woodcut dating from the years 1509-1510. This print is an integral component of Dürer’s celebrated series, The Small Passion, a cycle that contained 36 narrative scenes detailing the life and suffering of Christ, and was slightly smaller and more intimate in scale than his earlier monumental print projects.

The scene captures the moment of humility on Maundy Thursday when Christ performs the pedilavium, washing the feet of his disciple, St. Peter. Dürer focuses the viewer’s attention on the interplay between the two main figures, balancing Peter’s initial resistance with Christ’s gentle instruction. The surrounding disciples observe the sacred act in a densely packed composition, a characteristic of the high Renaissance style prevalent in Germany at the time.

As a principal artist of the German Renaissance, Dürer elevated the quality and precision of the woodcut medium, bringing an engraver’s meticulous detail to the block. The fine parallel lines and complex cross-hatching demonstrate his skill in translating texture, light, and shadow, allowing this print to achieve a visual depth often associated with metal engraving.

This piece underscores the pivotal role religious prints played in spiritual devotion and instruction during the early 16th century. Dürer’s widely distributed prints cemented his international reputation and provided important prototypes for artists across Europe. This particular impression of The Small Passion: Christ Washing St. Peter's Feet is held in the comprehensive collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and, like many significant historical prints, is accessible for study through public domain resources.