The Crucifixion, from "The Passion" 1511

This print of the Crucifixion was made by Albrecht Durer in 1511, using woodcut on paper. Durer was a master of this process, in which an image is carved in relief on a block of wood. Ink is then applied to the raised surfaces, and the image is transferred to paper. The challenge with woodcut is achieving fine detail, given the relative softness of the wood. This explains the heavy lines that define the composition. You can see this particularly in the robes of the figures, and in Christ's hair. But don’t think of woodcut as a limitation. Because the prints could be produced in multiples, it became a highly effective way of disseminating images. Durer was very aware of this potential, and ran what we might think of as a sophisticated printmaking operation. While he was a great artist, he was also a savvy businessman, understanding how this reproductive medium could bring his art – and ideas – to a wide audience. This was image-making for the age of mechanical reproduction.