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The Lamentation, from The Large Passion by Albrecht Dürer

The Lamentation, from The Large Passion

Albrecht Dürer · 1498

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“This woodcut plunges you into a scene of intense grief, showing Christ's body after the crucifixion with a dramatic use of light and shadow that makes the sorrow palpable.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this powerful woodcut, Dürer captures the raw grief surrounding Christ's body after the crucifixion. The scene unfolds with a dramatic intensity, drawing the viewer into the emotional core of the narrative. Mary, collapsed in anguish, cradles her son's head, her face etched with profound sorrow. The composition is tightly focused on the central figures, creating an intimate yet monumental portrayal of suffering. Notice how the artist uses deep shadows and stark contrasts to heighten the drama, a characteristic of the German Renaissance. The detailed rendering of drapery and musculature, even in this print medium, speaks to a careful study of form. This print is part of Dürer's "Large Passion" series, a significant undertaking that allowed him to disseminate religious narratives widely across Europe.

DETAILS
Artist
Albrecht Dürer
Date
1498
Medium
Woodcut in black on ivory laid paper
Location
Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions
39.2 × 28.4 cm (15 7/16 × 11 3/16 in.)
Collection
Prints and Drawings
Culture
Germany
Credit line
John H. Wrenn Memorial Collection
ART MOVEMENTS
Northern Renaissance
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

The Lamentation, from The Large Passion

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01

Christ's lifeless body

Look at the pale, stretched body at the bottom right. His head tips back as mourners hold him, and his long legs stretch out across the foreground.

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02

The standing Virgin

The tall hooded woman in the center sits bent over the group, her hands pressed together. Her bowed head gives the crowded scene a quiet center.

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03

Crown of thorns

In the lower left corner, the crown of thorns lies coiled in the grass. It is a quiet reminder of the suffering that just ended.

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04

Distant crosses

Far back on the upper left hill, a tiny cross and small figures suggest Calvary. The crucifixion lies far behind the grief in the foreground.

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05

Cut-line drapery

Study the heavy cloak spreading across the lower left. Dense parallel and crossing lines, cut as ridges, build its folds and shadows without any color or paint.

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THE ARTIST

Albrecht Dürer

1471–1528 · Duchy of Bavaria

Renaissance master who revolutionized printmaking across Europe before turning 30.

Read Dürer’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Dürer

1 / 2
Saint Jerome in His Study Saint Jerome in His Study 1521 · National Museum of Ancient Art Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Caritas Pirckheimer (1467–1532) Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Caritas Pirckheimer (1467–1532) The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Monstrous Sow of Landser The Monstrous Sow of Landser 1496 · Art Institute of Chicago The Fourth Knot The Fourth Knot 1507 · Art Institute of Chicago The Third Knot The Third Knot 1507 · Art Institute of Chicago The Annunciation, from The Life of the Virgin The Annunciation, from The Life of the Virgin 1511 · Art Institute of Chicago The Lamentation The Lamentation 1477 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Entombment The Entombment 1485 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

More from Northern Renaissance

See the movement →
Christ Child with a Walking Frame Christ Child with a Walking Frame Bosch · 1480 · Kunsthistorisches Museum The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment van Eyck · 1440 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Dürer and Northern Renaissance: works from the same years.

Saint Jerome Same era · 1480s–1510s Saint Jerome Hieronymus Bosch · 1500 · Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK) Portrait of a Musician Same era · 1480s–1510s Portrait of a Musician Leonardo da Vinci · 1485 · Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Jacopo Pesaro, Bishop of Paphos, being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter Same era · 1480s–1510s Jacopo Pesaro, Bishop of Paphos, being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter Titian · 1504 · Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp Drunkenness of Noah Same era · 1480s–1510s Drunkenness of Noah Michelangelo · 1509 · Sistine Chapel Sistine Madonna (Madonna di San Sisto) Same era · 1480s–1510s Sistine Madonna (Madonna di San Sisto) Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) · 1512 Plate with arms of the Tosinghi family Same era · 1480s–1510s Plate with arms of the Tosinghi family Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen · 1495 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Same era · 1480s–1510s Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Pietro Perugino · 1493 · Uffizi Gallery Head of Saint John the Baptist (one of a pair) Same era · 1480s–1510s Head of Saint John the Baptist (one of a pair) Master of the View of Saint Gudula · 1495 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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