Artwork
The Resurrection
The Resurrection is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer’s *The Resurrection* is a woodcut print executed on laid paper in 1512. The composition presents a densely populated, monochrome scene in which a central, robed figure rises, clutching a cross and a banner, surrounded by numerous smaller figures who look upward amid a turbulent backdrop of clouds and movement.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure represents the resurrected Christ, his upward motion and the banner symbolizing triumph over death. The surrounding crowd, composed of standing and climbing figures, conveys a collective response to the miraculous event, emphasizing the drama and spiritual upheaval associated with the resurrection narrative.
Technique & Style
Altdorfer employs sharp, incised lines and strong chiaroscuro to generate contrast and a sense of kinetic energy. The woodcut’s deep shadows and intricate detailing create a crowded, chaotic atmosphere, characteristic of his approach to narrative prints and his skill in rendering complex scenes within the constraints of the medium.
History & Provenance
Created during Altdorfer’s mature period in Regensburg, the print reflects his involvement with the Danube School and his association with the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group noted for small-scale, highly detailed prints. The work exemplifies his dual interests in religious subject matter and landscape, though here the landscape serves as a dramatic backdrop rather than a primary focus.
Context
Altdorfer’s career spanned painting, engraving, and architecture, and he was instrumental in developing landscape as an independent genre. In *The Resurrection*, the integration of a vivid, almost tempestuous environment with a biblical scene illustrates his typical practice of situating sacred narratives within expressive natural settings.
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…
