Pilate Washing His Hands, c. 1509
Albrecht Dürerexpand_more
Woodcutexpand_more
Gift of funds from the Ronald F. Kinney Foundationexpand_more 2015.92.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea, washes his hands as armed henchmen lead the bound Christ away. Pilate is attempting to remove the moral stain on his conscience left by his having knowingly allowed the rabble to free the criminal Barabbas while sending Christ to his death. In an act that reinforces the finality of the unjust decision, one of the guards looks back over his shoulder to confirm that Pilate has indeed washed his hands of the affair.
This is a proof printed prior to the regular edition of Albrecht Dürer’s Small Passion, a book in which he visually narrated key stories of the life of Christ.
Details
- Title
- Pilate Washing His Hands
- Artist Life
- 1471–1528
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.92.2
- Provenance
- Sir Peter Lely (London, 1618-1689, Lugt 2092). Thomas French Fine Art, Fairlawn, Ohio
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Bartsch 36; Meder 145 i/iii
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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