The Lamentation, from The Passion
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 13/16 × 6 11/16 in. (24.9 × 17 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.692
Tags
Art Historical Context
**The Lamentation, from The Passion** by Lucas Cranach the Elder a poignant moment from the biblical narrative of Christ's Passion: the sorrowful mourning of Jesus's body after the Crucifixion. Surrounded by figures including the Virgin Mary and disciples—evident from the tags of suffering men, women, and lamentation—this woodcut evokes deep emotional resonance, drawing viewers into the human drama of grief and devotion. Cranach, a leading figure of the German Renaissance (1472–1553), masterfully conveyed religious themes through his distinctive style, blending intricate detail with expressive...
About the Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1472–1553
Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553) was one of the most prominent German Renaissance painters and a key artistic figure of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Kronach, Franconia, to the painter Hans Maler, Cranach began his career in Vienna around 1502, where he became one of the founders of the Danube School, a movement characterized by expressive landscape painting and emotional force. His ea...