Engraved copies of The Little Passion 1485 - 1699

These engravings of the Little Passion, by Albrecht Durer, would have been made sometime before the artist’s death in 1528, using a technique called intaglio. Durer cut lines into a copper plate with a tool called a burin, creating a design in reverse. Ink was then applied to the plate, pushed into the grooves, and the surface wiped clean. Finally, the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The process is painstaking, demanding immense skill and control. Durer was celebrated for his technical virtuosity, and the textures he achieved. But beyond their aesthetic appeal, these prints also speak to the changing landscape of art and labor in the Renaissance. Printmaking allowed for the mass production of images, making art more accessible to a wider audience. This shift had profound implications for both artists and society. The Little Passion could be widely disseminated, but they also represent a challenge to traditional notions of artistic uniqueness and value.