Artwork
The Resurrection
The Resurrection is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1513 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer’s *The Resurrection* is a woodcut executed on laid paper around 1513. The print portrays a nude figure emerging from a craggy tomb, arms and gaze lifted upward, surrounded by scattered, partially buried bodies. Through stark lines and chiaroscuro, Altdorfer creates a sense of depth and contrast between the rough stone and the smooth flesh of the central figure.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts the biblical moment of Christ’s resurrection, though the figure is rendered without clothing, emphasizing the physical act of rising from death. The upward stretch of arms and eyes suggests a reach toward the divine, while the surrounding fallen figures underscore the transformative power of the event within a stark, earthly setting.
Technique & Style
The contrast between the textured, rugged tomb and the smooth, luminous skin demonstrates his skill in manipulating surface qualities through printmaking.
Altdorfer employed the woodcut method, carving the image into a block of wood and printing it onto laid paper. Sharp incisions generate pronounced lines and deep shadows, giving the scene a three‑dimensional quality despite its two‑dimensional medium. The contrast between the textured, rugged tomb and the smooth, luminous skin demonstrates his skill in manipulating surface qualities through printmaking.
Context
Working in Regensburg, Altdorfer was a leading member of the Danube School, noted for integrating vivid natural landscapes with religious narratives. At the same time, he participated in the Nuremberg Little Masters’ tradition of small, finely detailed prints, which catered to a growing market for portable devotional images in the early sixteenth century.
Legacy
*The Resurrection* exemplifies Altdorfer’s characteristic blend of expressive nature and sacred story, influencing later Northern Renaissance artists who sought to merge landscape and theology. The work remains a key example of early printmaking that balances narrative clarity with technical virtuosity, illustrating the evolving role of prints in disseminating religious imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
