St. John
1546
From the collection of Cleveland Museum 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 page1546
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
St. John is a 1546 by Sebald Beham, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This etching shows a robed figure holding a cup with two snakes wrapped around it. The person looks serious, with one hand on their chest and the other holding the cup. Around them are a few small objects—a basket, a book, and some scattered shells on the ground. The cup with snakes is a symbol often linked to St. John, the biblical figure. The artist used sharp lines and deep shadows to make the figure stand out against the background. Look up Renaissance to see how this style shaped art in Europe.
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings.
See the richer artist page
