The Descent from the Cross

c. 1513

Albrecht Altdorfer

Associated Names
Albrecht Altdorfer

Artist, German, 1480 or before - 1538

This is a drawing of several figures interacting with a large wooden structure. The drawing is a woodcut or engraving, characterized by bold lines and high contrast typical of this style. It shows individuals on a ladder and engaging with the wooden beams. The figures appear to be in robes and sandals. The background features a landscape with distant hills and possibly a small settlement or gathering. The composition focuses on the texture of fabrics and the structure of the wooden beams.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of W.G. Russell Allen

  • Dimensions

    block: 7.2 × 4.8 cm (2 13/16 × 1 7/8 in.)
    sheet: 7.9 × 5.7 cm (3 1/8 × 2 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1941.1.139

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    New Hollstein, no. w. 31

  • Series Title

    The Fall and Redemption of Man

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Albertina, Vienna (duplicate, Lugt 5g). W.G. Russell Allen [1882-1955], Boston; gift to the NGA, 1941.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1963

  • Winzinger, Franz. Albrecht Altdorfer, Graphik: Holzschnitte, Kupferstiche, Radierungen. Munich: R.Piper and Co., 1963, no. 56.

1996

  • The New Hollstein German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts, 1400-1700. (Albrecht Aldorfer, Ursula Mielke, author). Rotterdam: Sound & Vision Interactive, 1996-, no. w. 31.

Wikidata ID

Q64952443

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