The Crucifixion c. 1505 - 1516

Albrecht Altdorfer made this miniature print, "The Crucifixion," using etching in the early sixteenth century. Created during the Protestant Reformation, the work mirrors the era’s religious tensions and quest for spiritual reform. Altdorfer reimagines the traditional crucifixion scene by embedding it within a dense, almost overwhelmingly detailed forest. This backdrop is more than mere setting; it reflects the Northern Renaissance fascination with nature as a space of divine presence. While the figure of Christ is central, the surrounding figures also demand our attention. The women at the foot of the cross, rendered with deep emotionality, invite the viewer to contemplate themes of mourning, loss, and compassion. Altdorfer masterfully balances the divine narrative with the human, all-too-earthly experience of suffering. The work offers a complex meditation on faith, humanity, and the natural world, mirroring the religious and societal upheavals of the time.