Engraved copies of The Little Passion 1485 - 1699

Albrecht Durer created this engraved copy from The Little Passion series, with an intense composition using black lines on a white background. This stark contrast creates a dramatic visual impact. The figures are meticulously detailed, using fine lines to define form and texture. The artist has created a semiotic structure that destabilizes fixed meanings. For example, the cross-hatching not only defines shadows and depth, but serves as a textural code, adding layers of meaning. Consider the linear perspective and the way the eye is drawn through the scene. What do you think is the significance of the woman kneeling before Christ, as he is portrayed holding a shovel? Notice the gaze of the individuals, how they define a semiotic relation between earth and divinity, and how the scene is shaped around the values of work, worship and salvation. Dürer’s skill in manipulating line and form emphasizes the composition as a blend of spiritual narrative and formal technique, which serves as a visual representation of religious values in early 16th century Europe.