Artwork

Kreuzigung, nach dem Altarbild in Tölz (Crucifixion, after the Altarpiece at Tölz)

Lovis Corinth , 1922

Kreuzigung, nach dem Altarbild in Tölz (Crucifixion, after the Altarpiece at Tölz) is an ink print by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1922, this black drypoint print by German artist Lovis Corinth portrays the crucifixion of Jesus. Executed on laid paper supplied by the Van Gelder Zonen firm, the work measures a modest size yet conveys a solemn atmosphere through its stark monochrome palette and tightly rendered figures.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on the cross, where Christ hangs between two robed figures positioned below. The sparse background and muted tones focus attention on the physical and emotional weight of the moment, reflecting Corinth’s interest in historic and devotional themes during his later career.

Technique & Style

Corinth employed the drypoint method, incising lines directly into the paper’s surface to produce rich, velvety burrs that lend depth and texture. The exclusive use of black ink on the laid paper enhances contrast, while the gestural line work signals the artist’s shift toward a more expressionistic approach following his 1911 stroke.

History & Provenance

Lovis Corinth, trained in Paris and Munich and later a leading figure of the Berlin Secession, produced this print as part of a series referencing the altarpiece at Tölz. The work remained in private collections before entering its current institutional holding, illustrating the continued scholarly interest in Corinth’s print oeuvre.

Artist & collection

Artist

Lovis Corinth

Lovis Corinth was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.

Museum

National Gallery of Art

Continue through works from the same source collection.