Albrecht Dürer woodcut The Lamentation (the Large Passion), c. 1498-99 is a stunning woodcut presenting the emotional moment of St. John and the Virgin Mary surrounding Christ’s body following his Crucifixion. Their figures are arranged in a visually powerful pyramid and the dramatic tight arrangement of their clothes and limbs in the lower right endow them with a visceral sorrow, held in high contrast with the upper left corner which shows a far-away sparse place of the Crucifixion.

Strauss describes the composition thus: “The scene of the Crucifixion has been moved to the far background, so that the eye may concentrate on the interlude after the Descent from the Cross and before the Entombment of Christ. This subject became especially popular in Germany in the sixteenth century… Although the more prominent figure on the top has usually been seen as the virgin, she is more likely to be the woman tenderly lifting Christ’s hand and bending over him.” (Strauss, p. 215)

Created around 1498-99, this woodcut is monogrammed by Albrecht Dürer (Nuremburg, 1471- Nuremburg, 1528) ‘AD’ in the lower center of the image. This work is a B of (C) impression after the 1511 Latin text edition, printed on laid paper with Serpent and Shield with Diagonal Beam watermark (M. 105) dating this work to c. 1600.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Albrecht Dürer woodcut The Lamentation (the Large Passion), c. 1498-99 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoice accompanying the final sale of the work):

1.  Bartsch. The Illustrated Bartsch Vol. 10. Edited by Walter L. Strauss. New York: Abaris Books, 1981. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonnè no. 13.
2. Kurth, W. Dr. The Complete Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,1963. Listed and illustrated as catalogue no raisonne no. 126.
3. Meder, J. Dürer-Katalog. Wien: Verlag Gilhoffer & Ranschburg, 1932. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. 122. Watermark listed and illustrated as M 10.
4. Pawlak, M. Albrecht Dürer: 1471 bis 1528, Das gesamte Graphische Werk, Druckgraphik, Band II. München, Verlag Rogner & Bernhard GMBH. Listed and illustrated as plate no. 1540.
5. Scheller, R. W. and Boon, K. G. The Graphic Art of Albrecht Dürer, Hans Dürer and the Dürer School. Amsterdam: Vengendt & Co, 1971. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 122.
6. Schoch, R. Albrecht Dürer: Das druckgraphische Werk, Band II Holzschnitte und Holzschnittfolgen. München: Prestel Verlag, 2002. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 162.
7. Strauss, W. L. Albrecht Dürer, Woodcuts and Wood Blocks. New York: Abaris Books, 1980. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 60.
8. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Albrecht Dürer woodcut The Lamentation (the Large Passion), c. 1498-99 is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with linen-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.