Cain Killing Abel
1511
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
sheet: 4 5/8 x 3 1/4 in. (11.7 x 8.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1921
Accession Number
20.65.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer's *Cain Killing Abel* (1511) is a striking woodcut from the Northern Renaissance, capturing the biblical tale of fratricide from Genesis. Dürer, a German master printmaker and painter, was renowned for his meticulous detail and innovative techniques, blending Italian Renaissance ideals with Northern precision. This small print (just 4 5/8 x 3 1/4 inches) belongs to his *Small Passion* series, set of 37 woodcuts Christ's life alongside Old Testament prefigurations, making profound religious narratives accessible to everyday viewers. Woodcuts like this were revolutionary in Dürer...
About the Artist
Albrecht Dürer · 1471–1528
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...