Who painted Christ Taking Leave from His Mother?

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother was painted by Albrecht Dürer in 1504.

Where can I see Christ Taking Leave from His Mother?

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother is held by Honolulu Museum of Art.

What movement is Christ Taking Leave from His Mother?

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Christ Taking Leave from His Mother?

Museum-quality prints of Christ Taking Leave from His Mother are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother

Albrecht Dürer , 1504

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art.

About this work

This woodcut shows Mary kneeling before Jesus, who gently touches her shoulder.

This woodcut shows Mary kneeling before Jesus, who gently touches her shoulder. Both stand in a rocky landscape under a cloudy sky.

Dürer carved this in 1504-05. The scene feels quiet, not dramatic. Jesus’s calm face stands out. The lines are sharp, typical of woodcut prints.

Look for the way light falls on Jesus’s hand. That small detail makes it unforgettable.

National Gallery of Art, Washington

Subject & Meaning

The woodcut portrays the moment of the Savior's departure from his mother Mary, a scene drawn from the New Testament tradition. Dürer's composition emphasizes the tender farewell, with Mary's outstretched hand and Christ's modest gesture underscoring both human affection and divine purpose. The iconography links the episode to broader themes of obedience and sacrifice within the Life of the Virgin series, reflecting German Renaissance devotional concerns.

Technique & Style

The work is a woodcut printed on paper, characteristic of the German Renaissance and the Life of the Virgin series. It portrays the moment of Christ taking leave of his mother, rendered with fine line work and subtle tonal contrast typical of early 16th‑century woodcut technique. The composition emphasizes the emotional tension through delicate handling of light and shadow on the paper support, reflecting Dürer’s mastery of the medium.

History & Provenance

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother is a woodcut by Albrecht Dürer dated 1504, produced in Nuremberg as part of his Life of the Virgin series. The print was conceived and executed in that year, depicting a scene drawn from the New Testament.

The work entered several major collections over time. It is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it forms part of the Prints in the National Gallery of Art and the Rosenwald Collection. Additional impressions are preserved by the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris, the Chester Beatty Library, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother, a 1504 woodcut by Albrecht Dürer, is held in several major print collections. Its primary locations are the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work also belongs to the collections of the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris, the Chester Beatty Library, and the Prints in the National Gallery of Art / Rosenwald Collection.

No specific accession numbers, acquisition dates, or exhibition records are documented in the available sources.

Overview

Christ Taking Leave from His Mother is a woodcut print by Albrecht Dürer, created around 1504-05. It is a religious scene rendered in a calm and contemplative manner.