The Crucifixion, from The Fall and Salvation of Mankind Through the Life and Passion of Christ 1508 - 1518

Albrecht Altdorfer made this woodcut, *The Crucifixion*, as part of a series on the life and passion of Christ. Here, the stark contrast comes from the way that Altdorfer cuts into the block of wood, leaving the raised areas to catch the ink. You can see how this relatively direct process lends the image a striking immediacy, with the bold lines creating a sense of drama and emotional intensity. Woodcuts like this one were relatively inexpensive to produce and disseminate. Consider how the artist mobilized a humble material and a manual process to convey profound religious meaning to a wide audience. It reminds us that "high" art often has roots in more vernacular forms of production.