Arithmetria, from "The Seven Liberal Arts"
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 9/16 x 2 3/16 in. (9 x 5.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.529.37
Tags
Art Historical Context
Sebald Beham, a leading figure among the German "Little Masters" of the Northern Renaissance, created *Arithmetica* as part of his series *The Seven Liberal Arts*. This exquisite engraving captures the personification of arithmetic, one of the four mathematical disciplines in the quadrivium (alongside, music, and astronomy Produced in the early 16th century, the print reflects the humanist revival of classical education during the Renaissance, where the liberal arts formed the foundation of scholarly learning. Beham's mastery shines in the intricate details of this tiny work—measuring just 3 ...
About the Artist
Sebald Beham · 1500–1550
Sebald Beham (1500–1550), a pioneering German printmaker and painter born in Nuremberg, emerged as one of the most prolific artists of the Northern Renaissance. The elder brother of fellow artist Barthel Beham, he grew up in a milieu steeped in artistic tradition, though details of his early training remain sparsely documented. Recorded as a journeyman painter (Malergeselle) by 1521 and a master w...