The Fall and Redemption of Man: Joachim's Offering Rejected by the High Priest

Created by Albrecht Altdorfer, the print demonstrates a remarkable level of detail uncommon in woodcut, rivaling the precision of contemporary engravings. Deeply incised lines give the composition a rugged texture, and the composition’s dramatic gestures, such as the priest’s staff pointing downward, heighten the emotional intensity.

Altdorfer produced the series by printing eight woodblocks on each of five sheets, likely to streamline production. Although the original sequence was not chronological, the museum’s set retains the original half‑sheet format, preserving four prints per page after the sheets were cut in half.

The series was probably influenced by Albrecht Dürer’s Small Passion (1511), yet Altdorfer’s blocks are almost twice the size. The only comparable contemporary set of miniature woodcuts is Hans Holbein’s Dance of Death (c. 1526), which shares a similar fine scale and narrative ambition.