The Descent from the Cross, from The Little Passion (copy)

Description

The Descent from the Cross shows Christ’s body being lowered as those around him reach upward and gather beneath the descending weight. The tall timber and ladder connect the upper action with the mourners below, giving the scene a strong vertical rhythm. The Descent from the Cross turns the aftermath of execution into an intimate act of physical care.

This woodcut follows Albrecht Dürer’s design for the Small, or Little, Passion. Strong contours distinguish the many hands, garments and angled supports within the compact composition. The lifeless body remains the focus toward which the surrounding movement is directed, allowing grief to become visible through practical gestures. The image finds its gravity in cooperation and closeness, bringing the difficult task of lowering the dead into the same space as sorrow and compassion.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Dürer collection.