The Erection of the Cross 1507

Hans Baldung created this woodcut "The Erection of the Cross" in the early 16th century, a time of immense religious and social upheaval marked by the Protestant Reformation. The image portrays the physical and emotional intensity of Christ's crucifixion, underscored by the brutal exertion of the figures raising the cross. Baldung doesn't shy away from showing us a very human Christ, capturing both his physical suffering and spiritual agony. This approach was somewhat novel for the time, diverging from more idealized, classical depictions. Notice the skull at the base of the cross. It's a powerful symbol of death and mortality, reminding us of the gravity of the event. Consider too, the horse, a symbol of status, juxtaposed against this scene of immense suffering. Baldung invites us to confront not only the historical and religious narrative, but also the ways power, death, and sacrifice intersect. It’s an invitation to contemplate the complex relationship between faith and human existence.