Pilate Washing His Hands by Altdorfer

Albrecht Altdorfer painted this Pilate Washing His Hands around 1512 as part of the Saint Florian Altarpiece. The multi-panel Passion cycle allowed Altdorfer to create a comprehensive visual narrative enhanced by his revolutionary approach to landscape and atmospheric light Egg tempera on panel was the dominant technique of the period, demanding careful layer-by-layer construction and patient craftsmanship The work is now in the collection of St. Florian Monastery.

The panel shows Altdorfer's dramatic handling of the Passion episode with expressive atmospheric effects and the dynamic spatial construction characteristic of the Saint Florian series.