Golgotha 1517

print, engraving

landscape illustration sketch

ink drawing

ink painting

pen drawing

print

pen sketch

pencil sketch

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

pen work

engraving

pencil art

Lucas van Leyden's "Golgotha" (1517) is a detailed engraving that depicts the crucifixion of Jesus. The scene is teeming with figures, showcasing a range of emotions from grief to indifference. The composition is dense, with figures overlapping and creating a sense of depth. The artist’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the rendering of the landscape, architecture, and clothing. The print offers a powerful visual testament to the importance of this event in Christian tradition.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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A prodigious talent, Lucas van Leyden took an original approach to storytelling in Golgotha. He "inverted" the action by placing the crucial event in back, and the more ordinary activities in front. His emphasis on humanity--a falconer and beggar share space with men gambling for Christ's garment--made the Crucifixion accessible, as did the contemporary dress. Yet the crowd's casualness is also disturbing. Lucas's approachable piety reflected the down-to-earth teachings of the Modern Devotion movement in the Netherlands, which called for daily dedication to the Passion.