The Abduction of Helen
n.d.
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate: 2.4 × 11.6 cm (1 × 4 5/8 in.); Sheet: 2.6 × 11.9 cm (1 1/16 × 4 11/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79908
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate engraving *The Abduction of Helen by Barthel Beham a master of the German Renaissance known as one of the "Little Masters for his exquisite small-scale prints. This undated work captures a pivotal moment from Greek mythology: Paris seizing Helen of Troy, sparking the Trojan War Beham, active in early 16th-century Nuremberg drew from classical tales popular during the Renaissance revival of antiquity, blending Northern precision with mythological drama. Crafted as an engraving in black on ivory laid paper, the piece measures a mere 2.4 × 11.6 cm—small enough to fit in your ...
About the Artist
Barthel Beham · 1502–1540
Barthel Beham (1502–1540), a pivotal figure in the German Renaissance, was born in Nuremberg into a family of artists. The younger brother of the renowned engraver Hans Sebald Beham, he honed his craft under the tutelage of his elder sibling and the master Albrecht Dürer, absorbing the precise techniques of engraving and painting that defined Nuremberg's vibrant artistic scene. Emerging as a prodi...