Artwork

The Head of Christ

The Head of Christ, by German 15th Century, ink, 1500
The Head of Christ, by German 15th Century, ink, 1500

The Head of Christ is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The Head of Christ is a woodcut print depicting a bearded man's head, likely representing Jesus Christ. The image features a ring with text around the head, set against a light brown background with additional writing.

Subject & Meaning

The subject's serious expression and detailed hair and beard convey a sense of gravitas. The ring with text adds significance, possibly indicating a quote or title related to Christ.

Technique & Style

The woodcut technique used to create the image gives it a distinctive texture. The detailed rendering of the subject's hair and beard is characteristic of the technique, which was revived during the Renaissance.

Artist & collection

Portrait of German 15th Century

Artist

German 15th Century

This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.