Christ before Pilate

Albrecht Dürer · 1512
The Met, New York

Christ before Pilate is one of the plates of Dürer’s Engraved Passion, dated 1512 on the base of the column. The fine lines of the burin give armour, stone and cloth each a different texture.

Jesus stands with his hands tied behind his back among soldiers. Before him Pilate, in a turban and holding a long rod, listens to an old man who points as he speaks; through the arch behind is a town.

From the text

Jesus standing before the governor (Matthew 27:11)

Accused by the chief priests and elders, he gives no answer (Matthew 27:12)

The artist’s own

Pilate dressed as a Turkish lord, with a turban and a curved sword

A classical column with a carved capital

A soldier bending forward with a war hammer

Details

Pilate

Pilate, in a turban, holds a long thin rod.

The accuser

An old man in a hood points as he speaks.

Bound

Jesus’ hands are tied behind his back.

1512

The date and the monogram at the foot of the column.

Albrecht Dürer, German, 1471–1528. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Fletcher Fund, 1919; acc. 19.73.7) · Engraving · Public Domain — The Met Open Access (CC0). The Met Collection API record: "isPublicDomain": true; The Met marks such works on its website "with the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) icon".