Kaisheimer Altar: Kreuztragung Christi

Hans Holbein the Elder painted this Christ Carrying the Cross for the Kaisheim Altar in 1502. The Via Dolorosa scene shows Christ burdened by the cross on the road to Calvary. Holbein's crowd scenes demonstrate his ability to individualize faces and gestures within complex multi-figure compositions. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with dynamic processional composition and varied figure characterization. Holbein's gift for psychological nuance is evident in the contrasting expressions of compassion, cruelty, and indifference among the crowd.