The Crowning with Thorns, from The Fall and Redemption of Man 1513

Albrecht Altdorfer made this woodcut, "The Crowning with Thorns," as part of a series titled "The Fall and Redemption of Man". The image depicts a brutal episode from the Passion of Christ, yet it does so with an eye to its cultural context. Made in 16th-century Germany, Altdorfer's style is part of the Danube school, emphasizing landscape and expressive color - even though this is a black and white print. More broadly, we might see the woodcut as part of the Reformation's challenge to the Catholic Church's authority. The suffering of Christ here becomes a symbol of individual piety, rather than institutional power. Through woodcuts, the printing press allowed for the widespread dissemination of such images, fostering a more personal and direct relationship with religious narratives. To understand Altdorfer's work fully, scholars consult religious texts, social histories, and the biographies of artists and patrons. The meaning of art is always bound to the specific moment and place of its creation.