Spes (Hope)
1539
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Sebald Beham
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings.
See the richer artist page1539
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Spes (Hope) is a 1539 ink by Sebald Beham, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a muscular winged figure standing over a small, slumped man. The standing figure holds a vertical banner with rays shooting from the top. The slumped man clutches a broken column and a small bowl. The scene is mostly black and white, with some shading to show muscle and fabric. The standing figure represents *Spes*—the Latin word for *Hope*. The slumped man looks defeated, but the winged figure leans in, as if offering comfort or strength. Next, look up *engraving* to see how artists like Beham carved this image into metal.
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings.
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