The Sacred Line: A Dialogue Between Dürer and Mommard

There is a visceral, quiet power in the stroke of a 17th-century woodcut—a tactile connection to the very foundations of European art. This set of four Old Master prints represents a profound moment in art history: the enduring legacy of Albrecht Dürer’s "Small Passion," reimagined by the skilled hand of Johann Mommard in Brussels circa 1610.

To run one's eyes over these compositions is to witness the birth of visual storytelling. Mommard’s interpretations capture the raw, emotive intensity of Dürer’s original vision, rendering the sacred narrative with a crispness and depth that has only grown more soulful over four centuries. The paper, aged to a warm, ivory patina, carries the weight of history, offering a sensory experience that digital or modern reproductions simply cannot replicate.

For the cultural collector, these prints are more than art; they are artifacts of the Northern Renaissance spirit. For the interior designer, they offer a rhythmic, sophisticated "staccato" when hung as a suite, bringing an intellectual gravity to a contemporary study or a classic gallery hall. Curated by Le Historique, this set is a testament to the timeless allure of the Old Masters, designed for those who seek to surround themselves with objects of true historical consequence.

Specifications:

Origin: Brussels, Spanish Netherlands (Modern-day Belgium)

Period: Early 17th Century (Circa 1610)

Style: Northern Renaissance / Old Master Woodcut

Material: Hand-pulled ink on laid paper; professionally mounted in archival museum-quality frames.

Dimensions: 

4 x 5.125 in. (Last Judgment)
4 x 5.063 in. (Pilate Washing His Hands)
4.063 x 5.125 in. (Expulsion from Paradise)
4 x 5 in. (The Last Supper)

Condition: Antique condition. Strong, dark impressions with consistent tonal quality. Yellowing and aging of some of the sheets. Acidic reaction to an old tape mount along the lower margin of one print. Minimal foxing consistent with 400 years of age. Ready-to-frame.

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

Historian’s Note:

The "Small Passion" series remains one of the most influential cycles in the history of Western art. While Albrecht Dürer revolutionized the medium in 1511, it was the subsequent "Golden Age" publishers like Johann Mommard who ensured these images became the universal visual language of Europe. Mommard’s Brussels workshop was a center of excellence; his ability to translate Dürer’s complex hatching into woodblocks allowed these masterpieces to enter the private chapels and libraries of the European nobility. Owning a Mommard print is a direct link to the 17th-century tradition of the "Cabinet of Curiosities," where art was used as a tool for both devotion and intellectual prestige.