Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), “The Crucifixion”

Woodcut (20th-century print), paper, 40 x 30 cm;
the famous Renaissance woodcut “The Crucifixion” (ca. 1498) by the German master Albrecht Dürer, from his groundbreaking series of prints known as “The Great Passion.”

Jesus Christ on the cross, with the INRI inscription above his head, divides the composition into two equal, contrasting halves.
Left side (Sacred Sphere): Depicts loved ones mourning the Savior’s death. Among others, we see Mary, fainting from deep pain and despair, supported by St. John the Apostle.
Right Side (Profane Sphere): Depicts Roman soldiers on horseback in costumes from Dürer’s era, as well as onlookers watching the execution.
Angels: In the upper part of the engraving, winged angels float, collecting the blood flowing from Christ’s wounds into Eucharistic chalices.
Cosmic symbols: In the upper left corner is a weeping sun, and in the upper right, a moon, symbolizing the mourning of the entire universe following the death of God.
The Artist’s Monogram: At the very bottom, on the ground, the distinctive “AD” mark (the artist’s initials) is visible, placed right next to a human skull symbolizing Golgotha (the Place of the Skull) and Adam’s original sin.