Christ at Emmaus Woodcut by Johann Mommard | Framed Old Master Print

There is a singular, breathless moment in art history where the divine intersects with the domestic. In this woodcut, Brussels master Johann Mommard captures the precise instant of the Supper at Emmaus—the moment two disciples recognize the risen Christ not through a miracle of light, but through the simple, tactile act of breaking bread.

Crafted circa 1587 as an arduous and faithful tribute to Albrecht Dürer’s Small Passion (1511), this piece embodies the "deceptive copy" tradition of the Renaissance—a testament to Mommard’s virtuosic skill as a block cutter. While the lines remain true to Dürer’s hauntingly beautiful composition, Mommard’s execution carries a subtly coarser, more grounded demeanor that speaks to the late 16th-century Flemish aesthetic.

For the modern collector, this work offers more than a religious scene; it provides a lineage. The play of shadow, the stunned gesture of the disciple reaching for his chest, and the intricate hatching of the interior architectural details create a window into the spiritual intensity of the Northern Renaissance. Whether set in a minimalist gallery or a storied study, this woodcut anchors a room with the weight of five centuries of cultural heritage.

Specifications:

Origin: Brussels, Netherlands (Flemish)

Period: Late Renaissance / Mannerist (ca. 1587)

Style: Northern Renaissance / Old Master Print

Material: Woodcut on period-accurate laid paper

Dimensions: Image: 127mm x 98mm (approx. 5" x 3.8")

Condition: Antique condition; generous margins, minor yellowing commensurate with its 400-year history.

Delivery: Complimentary shipping within the USA is included in price.

Historian’s Note:

The Small Passion was originally conceived by Albrecht Dürer as a "devotional book" for a literate, burgeoning middle class. By the time Johann Mommard recreated these blocks in 1587, the work had transitioned from a local German phenomenon to a Pan-European standard of artistic excellence. Mommard’s choice to replicate Dürer so precisely speaks to the "Dürer Renaissance" of the late 16th century—a period where collectors across Europe sought the master’s hand even through his most talented successors. This piece serves as a bridge between the intense piety of the early 1500s and the sophisticated printmaking market of the Low Countries.