Description:As evidenced in the stunning portrayal of emotion and the rendering of form, this work offers a very strong impression of the unparalleled talent of the old master Albrecht Dürer.
Created in 1511, this piece is one of thirty six images Dürer created to illustrate the famous series: The Small Passion. The artist’s initials are engraved in the woodblock in the lower left corner. A Meder (a) impression without text with full borders all around.
With this work Dürer creates a poignant image which portrays the suffering of Christ and the fervent emotion attitude of Caiaphas. This work is unique in that it offers contrasting areas of extreme texturing created by intricate line work. The sense of space within the piece is collapsed pushing the foreground towards the viewer while the background appears in flat relief. Of this print, Walter L. Strauss states:
“Caiaphas, the High Priest who had prophesied that Christ would die for his people (John 11:51), here is shown tearing his clothes in feigned indignation upon learning of Christ’s “blasphemy” by having answered in the affirmative that he was indeed the Son of God (Matthew 26:65; Mark 14:63; Luke 22:71).”
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
It is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).
1. Barlow, T.D., Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer, 1948. Listed and illustrated as plate 57 and discussed on page 23.
2. Holzschnitte & Holzschnittfolgen. Albrecht Dürer – Das Druckgraphische Werk, Band II, New York, 2002. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 199 on pgs. 307-8.
3. Kurth, Dr. Willi, The Complete Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer, 1963. Listed and illustrated as plate 235 and discussed on page 30 - 31.
4. Lugt, Fritz. Les Marques de Collections de Dessins & d’Estampes – Supplément, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts: San Francisco, 1988. Collector’s stamp listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 1207a on pg. 174.
5. Meder, Joseph. Dürer-Katalog, Vienna, 1932. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 138 on pg. 139.
6. Pawlak, Manfred, et. al. Albrecht Dürer, 1471 bis 1528. Listed and illustrated as cat. no. 1604.
7. Strauss, Walter, L., Albrecht Dürer Woodcuts and Wood Blocks. Listed and illustrated as plate 114 on page 358.
8. Scheller, Robert W. and Boon, Karel G., The Graphic Art of Albrecht Dürer, Hans Dürer and The Dürer School. Listed and illustrated on page 112 and page 121 as plate 138.
About the Framing:
Conservation framed with museum quality, archival materials, this work is float-mounted on linen in an ornate black and gold leaf frame. The finely carved vegetal details of the Spanish-style moulding compliment linear elements in this work. The bright gold reflection of light in the frame and the deep shadows created by the sculptural relief, accentuate the contrast in this work. Completed with white, linen-wrapped mats and a matching gold inner fillet, this work is set behind an archival Plexiglas® cover.
