Christ Carrying the Cross c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have Albrecht Altdorfer's woodcut, "Christ Carrying the Cross," housed here at Harvard Art Museums. It's small but intense, a flurry of lines depicting a painful moment. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: The sheer density of the woodcut, isn't it something? Altdorfer crams so much emotion and texture into such a tiny space, it almost feels claustrophobic. I see a reflection of the chaos and brutality of the scene. Do you feel that too? Editor: I definitely feel the tension. It is like the space amplifies the turmoil. Curator: Exactly! And notice how the artist uses the wood grain to his advantage, enhancing that sense of unease and almost spiritual weight. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the power of the miniature? Editor: It really does. I guess I never thought something so small could pack such a punch.