The Temptation of Christ, from Das Plenarium
Medium
Woodcut (hand-colored)
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 11/16 × 2 11/16 in. (9.4 × 6.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1961
Accession Number
61.663.345
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Temptation of Christ a delicate hand-colored woodcut from Schäufelein's illustrations for *Das Plenarium*, popular German prayer book published by Adam Petri in 1517. This tiny print (just under 4 by 3 inches) captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus resists Satan's temptations in the wilderness—a scene rich with themes of faith, trial, and divine strength. Schäufelein, a Nuremberg artist trained in Albrecht Dürer's workshop, the Northern Renaissance's mastery of woodcuts, a technique that allowed intricate designs to be carved into wood blocks for...
About the Artist
Hans Schäufelein|Adam Petri · 1480–1540
Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...