Christ Carrying the Cross
c. 1513
Medium
woodcut on laid paper
Dimensions
block: 7.1 × 4.8 cm (2 13/16 × 1 7/8 in.) sheet: 7.4 × 5.1 cm (2 15/16 × 2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.352
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Altdorfer's *Christ Carrying the Cross*c. 1513) is a poignant woodcut print from the Northern Renaissance, capturing a pivotal moment in the Passion of Christ. As a leading figure in the Danube School—a group of early 16th-century German known for their intricate landscapes and dramatic religious scenes—Altdorfer this tiny devotional image with emotional intensity. Created amid the religious fervor preceding the Protestant Reformation, it reflects the era's deep Catholic piety, where such prints served as accessible aids for personal prayer. Measuring just 7.1 × 4.8 cm on laid paper,...
About the Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer · 1475–1538
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538) was a German painter, printmaker, and draftsman who stands as one of the founders of landscape painting as an independent genre. Born in Regensburg or nearby Altdorf, he learned art from his father Ulrich, a painter and miniaturist. Altdorfer spent most of his life in Regensburg, becoming a citizen in 1505 and later serving as the city's official architect and a m...