1475
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Christ Bearing the Cross is a 1475 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, depicting Christ Carrying the Cross, held at National Gallery of Art.
A man in a red robe carries a heavy wooden cross, surrounded by rough-looking soldiers pushing him forward. His face is calm, turned slightly upward, with a crown of thorns on his head. The background has a crowd and a city skyline under a dark sky. This image was made using a woodcut, a print made by carving a design into a block of wood. Ink is rolled onto the raised surface, then pressed onto paper. Artists later added color by hand, like the green robe and silver leaf halo, which has tarnished over time. These prints were shared widely, helping people visualize religious stories. Look up how woodcut prints were made in early Europe. (word count: 118)
This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.
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