“Body of Christ” is a religious artwork by Albrecht Dürer, a notable figure of the Northern Renaissance, completed in 1505. This piece is housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and is a prime example of the religious paintings common during that period.
The drawing depicts the lifeless body of Jesus Christ lying on the ground, rendered with dramatic realism and attention to anatomical detail, which is a signature of Dürer’s work. The figure of Christ is drawn with a powerful physicality, highlighting the muscles and physical form even in death. The perspective is from above, with Christ’s head slightly tilted away from the viewer, giving a sense of solemnity and gravity to the representation of the aftermath of crucifixion.
The composition is sparse, with little to no background detail to distract from the figure of Christ. The year “1505” is clearly inscribed at the top, next to which the paper appears to be torn, indicating the work’s age and perhaps its journey through time. Overall, the artwork captures a moment of profound peace and tragic beauty, reflective of the spiritual and religious themes that permeated art during the Northern Renaissance.
