Engraved copies of The Little Passion

Art Historical Context

Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings Prints department will delight in *Engraved Copies of The Little Passion*, a series meticulously reproduced by Dutch engraver Abraham Waes after Albrecht Dürer's iconic woodcut originals. Dürer, a cornerstone of the Northern Renaissance, *The Little Passion* around 1509 as a set of 37 scenes from Christ's final days, blending profound religious narrative with exquisite technical mastery. Waesberge's undated engravings capture this devotion, featuring Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and angels in intimate vignettes sized at approximately 5 x 3⅞ inches (12.7 x 9.7 cm) per plate. Engraving, as a medium, allowed Waesberge to emulate Dürer's fine lines with even greater precision, using a burin to incise detailed textures in drapery, faces, and halos directly onto copper plates. These copies reflect the era's booming print culture, where affordable reproductions spread Renaissance artistry to households across Europe, making sacred stories accessible beyond elite patrons. Acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1947, this series underscores Dürer's lasting influence—his works were so revered that skilled copyists like Waesberge sustained their popularity for centuries, bridging art, faith, and everyday devotion.

About the Artist

Abraham Waesberge|Albrecht Dürer (German|Dutch) · 1471 | –1528 |

German, Nuremberg 1471–1528 Nuremberg|Dutch