Who painted Christ Carrying the Cross?

Christ Carrying the Cross was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1512.

Where can I see Christ Carrying the Cross?

Christ Carrying the Cross is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Christ Carrying the Cross?

Christ Carrying the Cross is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Christ Carrying the Cross?

Museum-quality prints of Christ Carrying the Cross are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Christ Carrying the Cross

Albrecht Dürer , 1512

Christ Carrying the Cross is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in plate at top right, on tablet: 1512 / AD [artist's monogram]; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: C.16318; verso, lower center, in graphite by a later hand: B.12; verso, bottom left, in graphite by a later hand: B-286 [upside down]; verso, bottom center, in graphite by a later hand: P17653
Markings: Marked:NGA stamp (not Rosenwald)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The stark, linear style underscores the gravity of the subject, conveying themes of sacrifice and redemption central to Christian iconography.

The engraving depicts Jesus Christ bearing the cross toward Golgotha, a scene narrated in the New Testament Gospels. Dürer’s composition emphasizes Christ’s burden and the physical strain of the moment, while the surrounding figures, including soldiers and onlookers, frame the event within a narrative sequence. The print belongs to the Passion series, aligning its iconography with traditional depictions of Christ’s journey to crucifixion.

The stark, linear style underscores the gravity of the subject, conveying themes of sacrifice and redemption central to Christian iconography.

Technique & Style

Albrecht Dürer created this work in 1512 as an engraving executed on laid paper. The print measures 116 mm in height and 75 mm in width. Produced in Nuremberg during the German Renaissance, the piece belongs to the artist's Passion series and depicts Jesus Christ carrying the cross.

The formal qualities rely on the precise linear incisions characteristic of the engraving medium to render the religious subject matter.

History & Provenance

Created by Albrecht Dürer in 1512, the engraving Christ Carrying the Cross was produced in Nuremberg on laid paper. The work forms part of Dürer's series on the Passion of Christ. Its documented ownership chain begins with Philip Hofer (1898–1984) of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who held the print before gifting it to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1941.

Other known institutional holdings of impressions from this print include the Chester Beatty Library, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Princeton Art Museum.

The engraving is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., accessioned through the Philip Hofer bequest in 1941 and assigned inventory number 1941.10.1.

It has been exhibited as part of the Gallery’s holdings of Dürer’s prints, including displays within the Chester Beatty Library, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Princeton University Art Museum as part of traveling rotations of the Rosenwald Collection.

Context

Albrecht Dürer's engraving Christ Carrying the Cross, created in 1512 in Nuremberg, stands as a significant work within the German Renaissance movement. As part of the artist's Passion series, the print interprets the New Testament narrative of Jesus bearing the cross. The piece is held in major public collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Chester Beatty Library, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Princeton Art Museum.

Its presence across these institutions underscores its established role in the canon of religious art and Dürer's broader printmaking legacy.

Overview

Christ Carrying the Cross is a 1512 engraving on laid paper by Albrecht Dürer, conveying a poignant moment from Christian iconography in a compact yet impactful format.

Legacy

While its direct impact is not elaborated, the piece contributes to Dürer's reputation for technical mastery in engraving and his exploration of religious subjects in intimate, detailed forms.