1513
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Christ on the Mount of Olives is a 1513 ink by Albrecht Altdorfer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a dark, crowded scene with Jesus in the center, praying alone while his disciples sleep around him. The sky is stormy, with jagged clouds and a moon high above. Below, the disciples lie sprawled on the ground, some curled up, others stretched out, their faces turned away. Notice how the artist used sharp lines and deep shadows to create drama—this was a common way to make emotional scenes feel intense. The rough texture of the woodcut adds to the sense of chaos and urgency. Next, look up woodcut to see how artists carved images into wood blocks to print them.
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…
See the richer artist page
