Christ Dying on the Cross
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows Christ on the cross, his body limp, a thin halo around his head. The artist used fine lines to shade the dark sky behind him. The lines get denser near the cross to make it stand out. Engraving was popular in the 1600s for spreading religious images. It let people keep small versions of big church art at home. The lines here are so fine they almost look like pencil. Try an engraving by Albrecht Dürer next.
