Saint Peter
1545
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.1200
Art Historical Context
Behold the intricate engraving *Saint Peter* by Sebald Beham, crafted in 1545 and housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection. Beham, a leading figure among the German "Little Masters" of the Renaissance, was renowned for his masterful small-scale prints produced in Nuremberg. This work exemplifies his precision and skill, capturing the apostle—traditionally depicted with keys symbolizing his role as keeper of heaven's gates—in a compact yet richly detailed composition. Engraving, Beham's chosen medium, involved incising fine lines into a copper plate with a burin, allowing f...
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...