c. 1490

Crucifixion

Crudely cut and boldly colored, single-sheet woodcuts were sold to pilgrims at holy sites as souvenirs for personal devotions. Such inexpensive woodcuts were common in the fifteenth century, but they are rare today; tacked to the walls of the home, most were destroyed by smoke, sunlight, and dust. This example was preserved by being pasted into the lid of a portable strongbox to protect its pious owner. The stencil-colored image of the Crucifixion, with drops of blood spurting from Christ's wounds, reveals the forceful graphic language of the woodcut medium as compared to the more refined delicacy of engraving.