The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

The Passion: Christ Taken Captive

The Passion: Christ Taken Captive

c. 1480
(German, c.1450–1491)
Catalogue raisonné: Lehrs V.128.20
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Though the Roman soldier on the right holds a ball and chain weapon (or flail), such weapons are not known to have been used by the Roman military.

Description

Martin Schongauer's series of the Passion of Christ was his largest set of engravings, made around 1480, and extensively copied across Europe. It consists of twelve prints detailing the suffering of Christ in the last days of his life. Schongauer's version focuses on crowded scenes, grotesque physiognomies of Christ's tormentors, and great pathos in the compositions. Here, Christ—with his hands tied—is led away with a rope around his neck by one of his captors. A second soldier seizes him by his left arm, and a third one grasps a lock of his hair. In the foreground, Peter, in an attempt to save Christ, cuts the ear of the soldier Malchus with his sword. Judas, instead, flees with his bag of silver at left.
  • 15th Century German Engravings. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 15-December 11, 1938).
    Inaugural Exhibition of the New Print Gallery - Prints from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 10-November 13, 1938).
    15th Century German and Netherlands Prints from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 11-28, 1935).
    Italian and German Prints of the 15th Century. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 29, 1933-January 3, 1934).
  • {{cite web|title=The Passion: Christ Taken Captive|url=false|author=Martin Schongauer|year=c. 1480|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1922.88