1513
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Christ Descending into Hell is a 1513 ink by Albrecht Altdorfer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a dramatic scene of Christ breaking through a dark, rocky barrier. He’s reaching down to pull up a kneeling figure while another person clings to him from above. The background is packed with twisted, shadowy shapes—some look like fallen figures, others like demons. The artist used sharp lines and deep contrasts to make the chaos feel real. Notice how the light bursts around Christ’s hand, making him the only bright spot in the dark. This is a woodcut, a printmaking technique where artists carve images into wood.
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
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