St. James is a 1528 by Günther Zainer, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This small painting shows a man lying on a table with his arms outstretched. Two other figures stand nearby—one holding a hammer, the other reaching toward the man’s head. The scene looks rough, with simple shapes and flat colors. Blood drips from the table onto the ground, and a few scattered hands lie around. The man on the table has a halo, which might mean he’s a holy figure. The style is very basic, almost like a woodcut, with bold outlines and little shading. If you like this kind of simple, symbolic art, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Günther Zainer was the first printer in Augsburg, where he worked from 1468 until his death; he produced about 80 books including two German editions of the Bible and the first printed calendar.
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