Artwork
The Great Passion: Christ Shown to the People
The Great Passion: Christ Shown to the People is a print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer produced the etching *The Great Passion: Christ Shown to the People* around 1504. Part of a larger series on the Passion of Christ, the work exemplifies Dürer’s early 16th‑century printmaking activity. It is presently conserved in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a bustling crowd gathered before a partially opened doorway. A well‑dressed figure extends a cloth bearing a religious scene, while soldiers with spears and shields press forward, and a woman in a long dress stands prominently. The composition suggests the public unveiling of a sacred image, echoing the theme of Christ’s revelation to the masses.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, the work employs strong contrasts of light and dark to model the figures, a technique reminiscent of chiaroscuro. Dürer’s precise line work delineates individual faces and armor, while the interplay of shadow creates a sense of depth and tension within the crowded space.
History & Provenance
Created during Dürer’s tenure as court artist for Emperor Maximilian I, the piece reflects his growing reputation across Europe. After changing hands among private collectors, it entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s print and drawing collection.
Context
The etching belongs to a series that interprets the Passion narrative, a subject Dürer revisited in several media. His exposure to Italian Renaissance art during trips to Venice informed the compositional balance and anatomical accuracy evident in the scene, merging Northern detail with Southern spatial concepts.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
