Descent into Hell
c. 1515
Albrecht Altdorfer captures the chaotic drama of the Harrowing of Hell in this intense woodcut from around 1515. Christ, glowing with a radiant halo, breaks into the underworld to rescue souls, while grotesque demons—including one with a hilariously long, trumpet-like snout—recoil in panic. As a key figure of the Danube School, Altdorfer was famous for his expressive style, and here he uses sharp, hatched lines to create a sense of frantic movement and supernatural terror that feels almost like a Renaissance comic book panel.
- Technique
- Woodcut
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