Who painted Christ Measuring the Globe?

Christ Measuring the Globe was painted by German 15th Century in 1465.

Where can I see Christ Measuring the Globe?

Christ Measuring the Globe is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Christ Measuring the Globe?

Christ Measuring the Globe is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Christ Measuring the Globe

German 15th Century , 1465

Christ Measuring the Globe is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1465 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is a hand‑colored woodcut depicting a standing figure of Christ on the right side of the composition.

About this work

Overview

The work is a hand‑colored woodcut depicting a standing figure of Christ on the right side of the composition. He is robed in red, crowned with a halo, and holds a staff that points toward a central globe. The globe displays a green landmass beneath a yellow sun, surrounded by yellow stars, all rendered in a limited palette of Venetian red, lavender, yellow, and green.

Subject & Meaning

Christ is presented as a ruler of the cosmos, his gesture directing attention to the globe that symbolizes the world under divine authority. The inclusion of celestial elements—sun and stars—reinforces a theological message of universal order and the salvific reach of the figure, a common motif in devotional imagery of the period.

Technique & Style

The image was produced by carving a design into a wooden block, inking it, and printing it onto paper. After printing, the surface was manually painted with pigments in the characteristic Renaissance palette of Venetian red, lavender, yellow, and green. The crisp line work of the woodcut combined with the subtle hand‑coloring reflects the era’s blend of print reproducibility and painterly detail.

Context

Created during the Renaissance, the piece aligns with the period’s interest in merging classical geography with Christian symbolism. The representation of Christ measuring the globe echoes contemporary humanist ideas about the ordered universe and the role of the divine in governing both earthly and celestial realms.