Christ on the Cross with the Virgin and Saint John 1480

This small, anonymous woodcut from 1480, “Christ on the Cross with the Virgin and Saint John,” depicts the traditional imagery of the crucifixion with Christ's mother Mary and St. John the Evangelist flanking the cross. This small, portable image would have been useful for personal devotion in the home. The detail in the figure of Christ is emphasized by the artist's use of linear hatching, while the Virgin Mary and St. John are rendered in a more simplified manner. The work highlights the emotional response to the crucifixion, with Mary's face turned away in grief. This is a prime example of the style of devotional art popular in Northern Europe in the late Middle Ages.