Artwork
The Small Passion: The Betrayal of Christ
The Small Passion: The Betrayal of Christ is a print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut *The Small Passion: The Betrayal of Christ* dates from around 1510. Part of a larger series illustrating episodes from Jesus’ life, the print presents the moment Judas identifies Christ in the garden. Executed in black ink on paper, the image measures roughly 20 × 15 cm and exemplifies Dürer’s mature printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures the instant of betrayal, with Judas pointing toward the kneeling figure of Christ while a crowd of armed men surrounds them. The tension between the calm, resigned Christ and the aggressive soldiers underscores the theological theme of loyalty versus treachery, a central motif in Passion narratives.
Technique & Style
Dürer employs crisp, intersecting lines and strong contrasts of light and shadow to give the figures a sculptural presence. The chiaroscuro effect, achieved through dense hatching, creates depth in the tangled foliage and the metallic gleam of armor, reflecting the print‑making conventions of early sixteenth‑century Northern Europe.
History & Provenance
Created in Nuremberg, the work belongs to Dürer’s “Small Passion” series, produced after his earlier large‑scale woodcuts and engravings. The series circulated among collectors linked to Emperor Maximilian I, who favored Dürer’s output, and several copies survive in European museum collections.
Context
The print demonstrates Dürer’s engagement with Italian Renaissance ideas, particularly the use of anatomical accuracy and spatial organization. At the same time, it retains the Germanic emphasis on intricate detail and narrative clarity, positioning the work at the crossroads of Northern and Southern artistic currents of the period.
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)
