Christ on the Cross Between Mary and Saint John
1460/70
Medium
Handcolored woodcut, printed through rubbing, on paper
Dimensions
Image/sheet trimmed within platemark: 18.7 × 12.4 cm (7 3/8 × 4 15/16 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
60889
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Like the Man of Sorrows nearby (1944.172), this woodcut depicting Christ’s mother and his most beloved apostle in mourning is a rare example of European medieval devotional practices. The print was found pasted with several others in a book in the library of the Abbey of Saint Gall. Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection formed the crux of Christian belief, and so these events were depicted frequently. The hand-colored blood on Christ’s body has since faded to light brown, softening its visual im...