The Descent from the Cross, from The Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ
ca. 1513
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 7/8 × 1 7/8 in. (7.3 × 4.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
18.17.2-9
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 16th century, Albrecht Altdorfer, a pioneering artist of the German Renaissance and leader of the Danube School, this delicate woodcut as part of his series *The Fall and Salvation ofankind Through the Life and of Christ*. Dated around 1513, *The Descent from the Cross captures a pivotal moment from the Passion narrative: Christ's body being tenderly lowered from the crucifixion ladder by grieving figures, including Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. At just 2 7/8 × 1 7/8 inches, its intimate scale made it ideal for personal devotionals or illustrated prayer books, reflecting the ...
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...