Christ Taken before Pilate

1512

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious kneeling

Dominant colour

Christ Taken before Pilate is a 1512 by Albrecht Dürer, a Renaissance work, depicting kneeling, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Albrecht Dürer
When & what style?: 1512 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This woodcut shows Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate. Pilate sits on a raised chair while Jesus is led in, hands bound. A crowd fills the background, some pointing. Dürer made this during a trip to Italy. It mixes German detail with Italian-style space. The light hits Jesus’ face just enough to feel real. Check out how Dürer’s lines guide your eye to Pilate’s robe. Then look up Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528).