Saint Erasmus as Bishop

Sebald Beham

1525

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

About this work

This woodcut shows a bishop holding a long cross. He wears a tall, pointed hat and a robe with patterned sleeves. Behind him, trees and a small castle sit on a hill. The artist used sharp lines and simple shapes to make the figure stand out. This style was common in woodcuts, where the design is carved into wood and then printed. Look up woodcut to see how this printing method works.