Passio Christi, from the "Allegorical Scenes from the Life of Christ"
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 10 5/8 x 7 1/2 in. (27 x 19 cm) mount: 15 9/16 x 10 1/2 in. (39.6 x 26.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.59
Tags
Art Historical Context
Hendrick Goltzius, a masterful Dutch engraver of the late 16th century and a key figure in Northern Mannerism, created *Passio Christi* as part of his series *Allegorical Scenes the Life of Christ*. undated engraving captures the intense drama of Christ's Passion, featuring figures of Christ on the cross, men, women in a tableau of suffering and devotion. Goltzius's innovative technique—bold, swelling lines and dramatic chiaroscuro effects—mimics the richness of oil painting, making his prints highly prized collectibles during the Dutch Golden Age. As a medium, engraving allowed Goltzius to d...
About the Artist
Hendrick Goltzius · 1558–1617
Hendrick Goltzius (1558–1617) was the most celebrated engraver of the Northern Renaissance and a pivotal figure in Dutch Mannerism. Born near the German-Dutch border, Goltzius transformed printmaking into a virtuoso art form through his revolutionary 'swelling line' technique, where the burin was manipulated to create lines of varying thickness that produced unprecedented tonal effects and three-d...