1505
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Head of Christ is a 1505 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white print of a face looking straight ahead. The hair and beard are swirling, almost like flames, with sharp lines and shadows. A halo of rays sits above the head, and the eyes are large and calm. The edges of the print have decorative patterns framing the face. The print uses a technique where the image is carved into wood and then inked. This was a common way to make many copies of the same picture back then. Look up woodcut to see how this print was made.
This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.
See the richer artist page
![Studies for Six Figures (sheet from a model book) [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/4837429e0755bc3f/thumb.webp)
