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Christ on the Cross

German 15th Century

1475

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Christ on the Cross is a 1475 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: German 15th Century
When & what style?: 1475 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows three figures standing in front of a cross. The person on the cross has a crown of thorns and is nailed to the wood. The two figures beside them look serious, with one wearing a blue robe and the other a red-and-yellow robe. The background is simple, with a green ground and a faded blue sky. The painting uses bright colors like blue, red, and gold, but the edges are worn, showing age. It’s made from woodcut—ink pressed into wood and then colored by hand. Next, look up woodcut to see how this kind of printmaking works.