The Resurrection of Christ
Medium
Woodcut in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image/block/sheet: 23.3 × 18 cm (9 3/16 × 7 1/8 in.)
Classification
wood engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
27621
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This Albrecht Altdorfer woodcut is one of the largest prints by this so-called Little Master. Creating engravings, etchings, and woodcuts that were as small as modern-day postage stamps, the artist was able to convey incredibly fine detail. Here the finesse of Altdorfer’s carving results in a sublime halo for the risen Christ, with an intentionally blank background emphasizing his resurrected form. The riot of clouds and heavenly host outside of this white area sets the joyfully chaotic tone of ...
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...