Christ Crowned with Thorns
1470–1491
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 5/16 × 4 7/16 in. (16.1 × 11.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928
Accession Number
28.26.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 15th century, Martinongauer, a pioneering German artist from Colmar (c. 1445–1491), created *Christ Crowned with Thorns*, a poignant engraving capturing a pivotal moment from the Passion of Christ. Surrounded by mocking soldiers, the suffering Savior bows his head under a crown of thorns, evoking profound sadness and human vulnerability. This small yet masterful print (6 5/16 × 4 7/16 in.) exemplifies Schongauer's role as one of the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance, bridging late Gothic traditions with emerging Renaissance precision. Schongauer's engraving technique ...
About the Artist
Martin Schongauer · 1435–1491
Martin Schongauer, born around 1450–1453 in Colmar, Alsace, emerged from a family of skilled artisans. The third of four or five sons of goldsmith Caspar Schongauer, who had relocated from Augsburg to Colmar around 1440, Martin was immersed in the goldsmith's trade from youth, likely receiving his initial training in his father's workshop—a common path for early engravers. He further honed his ski...