The Ascension of Christ, from The Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ
ca. 1513
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 1/16 × 2 3/16 in. (7.8 × 5.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.11.43
Tags
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Altdorfer, a pioneering artist of the Danube School in early 16th-century Germany crafted *The Ascension of Christ* around 1513 as part of his ambitious series *The Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ This tiny woodcut, measuring just 3 1/16 × 2 3/16 inches, captures a pivotal biblical moment: Christ's rising to heaven, surrounded by apostles, emphasizing themes of redemption and divine triumph. Altdorfer's work reflects the Northern Renaissance's blend of spiritual devotion and meticulous detail, bridging medieval piety with emerging humanism. Printe...
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...