1508
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Christ on the Mount of Olives is a 1508 ink by Albrecht Dürer, a Northern Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows three figures in a stormy night scene. One man with long hair and a robe is standing, arms raised, as if praying. Another man lies on the ground, clutching something to his chest. Above them, an angel with wings holds a tool, looking down. The sky is dark and swirling, with sharp lines marking the chaos. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene feel dramatic and full of movement. Next, look up technique: engraving to see how artists like Dürer created these detailed prints.
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
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