Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings. Born in Nuremberg, he spent the later part of his career in Frankfurt. He was one of the most important of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making prints in the generation after Dürer.
His name is often given as Hans Sebald Beham although there is no documentary evidence that he ever used thay additional forename.[1][2]
He produced approximately 252 engravings, 18 etchings and 1500 woodcuts, including woodcut book illustrations. He worked extensively on tiny, highly detailed, engravings, many as small as postage stamps, placing him in the German printmaking school known as the "Little Masters" from the size of their prints. Those works were printed and published by him, and his much larger woodcuts were mostly commissioned work. The engravings found a ready market among German bourgeois collectors. He also made prints for use as playing cards and wallpaper.
His engravings cover a range of subjects, but he is especially known for scenes of peasant life and scenes from classical myth or history, both of which often had an erotic element. His early work was done under the shadow of Dürer, who was still working in Nuremberg, and one early woodcut "Head of Christ", to which the "AD" monogram was added in the second state (though probably not by Beham), was long misattributed to Dürer by Adam Bartsch and others. He also borrowed from his brother Barthel's rather more original works. In his later work he boldly re-interpreted many of Dürer's most famous prints in works such as his Melancholia of 1539, exploiting the difference in scale between his work and the original. His dark backgrounds may have been inspired by Italian Niello prints.[3]
Charitatis, undated but with the early monogram 'HSP'
Beham was born in Nuremberg. Nothing is known of his parents. His brother Bartel Beham, two years his junior, was also an artist.[2] His training is undocumented.[2] In 1521 he is recorded as a Malergeselle ("journeyman painter"), and by 1525 he was master of his own workshop in Nuremberg.[2]
In January 1525, along with his brother and Georg Pencz, he was banished from Nuremberg, accused of heresy, blasphemy and not recognising the authority of the City council. The three thus became known as "godless painters". The accusations against Beham were connected with his Lutheran beliefs, the city authorities then being Catholic, although they adopted Lutheranism as the city's official religion only two months later.[2] The three artists were soon allowed to return to Nuremberg, but in 1528 Beham hurriedly left the city once more, following the threat of legal action over his treatise on the proportions of the horse[2] which was regarded as having been plagiarised from an unpublished manuscript by Albrecht Dürer, who had recently died. He then spent time working in various German cities; his woodcuts were published at Ingolstadt between 1527 and 1530, and in the latter year he was in Munich, where he recorded the triumphal entry of Emperor Charles V in a woodcut entitled The Military Display, 10 June 1530. He lived mostly in Frankfurt from 1532, becoming a citizen there in 1540, and remaining until his death ten years later.[1]
Until about 1532 his prints were monogrammed 'HSP', reflecting the Nuremberg pronunciation of his surname: Peham. After this date, by which time he had established himself in Frankfurt, his monogram became "HSB".[2] This monogram has often led to his name being given as "Hans Sebald Beham", but there is no documentary evidence for this additional forename, the "H" in the monogram probably representing the second syllable of his surname.[2][1]
He is known to have married twice. A pair of models for medals, designed by Matthes Gebel and dating from 1540, shows Beham and his wife Anna. In 1549, by then a widower, Beham married Elizabeth Wolf, the daughter of a shoemaker from Büdingen.[2]
He is not to be confused with his contemporary Hans Beham (or Behem or Böhm), also of Nuremberg, who cast the "Sigismund" bell (Zygmunt) at the Wawel castle in Poland for the Sigismund I the Old.[4]
Beham is best known as a prolific printmaker, but also painted, designed stained glass, and wrote two successful illustrated books, manuals for artists.
PaintingsEdit
He is known to have designed stained glass in Nuremberg. His only known panel painting, however, is a tabletop painted with scenes from the life of King David, now in the Louvre. This was done following his move to Frankfurt, for Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg. He also painted miniatures for a prayer-book for Albrecht, now in the collection of the Hofbibliothek, Aschaffenburg.[2] Some coats of arms, painted on vellum for newly ennobled patrons, survive in the city archives in Frankfurt.[2]
Artists' manualsEdit
The book on the proportions of the horse, for which he was briefly exiled in 1528 following accusations of plagiarism,[5] was an artists' manual, which he later followed with one on the human figure. These publications were simplified borrowings of Dürer's works on the subjects, but rather easier to use (and cheaper), and thus had a long-lasting success.
^ abcRowlands, John (1988). The Age of Dürer and Holbein: German Drawings 1400-1550. London: British Museum Publications. ISBN0-7141-1639-4.
^ abcdefghijkStewart, Alison G. . Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
^Levin, William (1975). Images of Love and Death In Late Medieval and Renaissance Art. The University of Michigan Museum of Art. p. 71.
Alison G. Stewart: Sebald Beham: Entrepreneur, Printmaker, Painter
October 23, 2023
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Sebald Beham 1500 1550 was a German painter and printmaker mainly known for his very small engravings Born in Nuremberg he spent the later part of his career in Frankfurt He was one of the most important of the Little Masters the group of German artists making prints in the generation after Durer Adam and Eve 1543 82 56 mmHis name is often given as Hans Sebald Beham although there is no documentary evidence that he ever used thay additional forename 1 2 He produced approximately 252 engravings 18 etchings and 1500 woodcuts including woodcut book illustrations He worked extensively on tiny highly detailed engravings many as small as postage stamps placing him in the German printmaking school known as the Little Masters from the size of their prints Those works were printed and published by him and his much larger woodcuts were mostly commissioned work The engravings found a ready market among German bourgeois collectors He also made prints for use as playing cards and wallpaper His engravings cover a range of subjects but he is especially known for scenes of peasant life and scenes from classical myth or history both of which often had an erotic element His early work was done under the shadow of Durer who was still working in Nuremberg and one early woodcut Head of Christ to which the AD monogram was added in the second state though probably not by Beham was long misattributed to Durer by Adam Bartsch and others He also borrowed from his brother Barthel s rather more original works In his later work he boldly re interpreted many of Durer s most famous prints in works such as his Melancholia of 1539 exploiting the difference in scale between his work and the original His dark backgrounds may have been inspired by Italian Niello prints 3 Contents 1 Life 2 Other work 2 1 Paintings 2 2 Artists manuals 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLife Edit nbsp Charitatis undated but with the early monogram HSP Beham was born in Nuremberg Nothing is known of his parents His brother Bartel Beham two years his junior was also an artist 2 His training is undocumented 2 In 1521 he is recorded as a Malergeselle journeyman painter and by 1525 he was master of his own workshop in Nuremberg 2 In January 1525 along with his brother and Georg Pencz he was banished from Nuremberg accused of heresy blasphemy and not recognising the authority of the City council The three thus became known as godless painters The accusations against Beham were connected with his Lutheran beliefs the city authorities then being Catholic although they adopted Lutheranism as the city s official religion only two months later 2 The three artists were soon allowed to return to Nuremberg but in 1528 Beham hurriedly left the city once more following the threat of legal action over his treatise on the proportions of the horse 2 which was regarded as having been plagiarised from an unpublished manuscript by Albrecht Durer who had recently died He then spent time working in various German cities his woodcuts were published at Ingolstadt between 1527 and 1530 and in the latter year he was in Munich where he recorded the triumphal entry of Emperor Charles V in a woodcut entitled The Military Display 10 June 1530 He lived mostly in Frankfurt from 1532 becoming a citizen there in 1540 and remaining until his death ten years later 1 Until about 1532 his prints were monogrammed HSP reflecting the Nuremberg pronunciation of his surname Peham After this date by which time he had established himself in Frankfurt his monogram became HSB 2 This monogram has often led to his name being given as Hans Sebald Beham but there is no documentary evidence for this additional forename the H in the monogram probably representing the second syllable of his surname 2 1 He is known to have married twice A pair of models for medals designed by Matthes Gebel and dating from 1540 shows Beham and his wife Anna In 1549 by then a widower Beham married Elizabeth Wolf the daughter of a shoemaker from Budingen 2 He is not to be confused with his contemporary Hans Beham or Behem or Bohm also of Nuremberg who cast the Sigismund bell Zygmunt at the Wawel castle in Poland for the Sigismund I the Old 4 Other work Edit nbsp Death and the Standing Nude 1547 75 48 mmBeham is best known as a prolific printmaker but also painted designed stained glass and wrote two successful illustrated books manuals for artists Paintings Edit He is known to have designed stained glass in Nuremberg His only known panel painting however is a tabletop painted with scenes from the life of King David now in the Louvre This was done following his move to Frankfurt for Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg He also painted miniatures for a prayer book for Albrecht now in the collection of the Hofbibliothek Aschaffenburg 2 Some coats of arms painted on vellum for newly ennobled patrons survive in the city archives in Frankfurt 2 Artists manuals Edit The book on the proportions of the horse for which he was briefly exiled in 1528 following accusations of plagiarism 5 was an artists manual which he later followed with one on the human figure These publications were simplified borrowings of Durer s works on the subjects but rather easier to use and cheaper and thus had a long lasting success Gallery Edit nbsp One of a set on the Prodigal Son 1538 nbsp A Mask on an Escutcheon Supported by Two Genii 1544 nbsp Joseph and Potiphar s Wife 1544 81 56 mm nbsp Peasant couples representing the months from a set 1545 nbsp Hercules and Iolaus slaying the Hydra 1545 nbsp Night 1548 nbsp Illustration from Das Kunst vnd Lere Buchlin 1567See also EditBarthel BehamReferences Edit a b c Rowlands John 1988 The Age of Durer and Holbein German Drawings 1400 1550 London British Museum Publications ISBN 0 7141 1639 4 a b c d e f g h i j k Stewart Alison G Sebald Beham Entrepreneur Printmaker Painter Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art Archived from the original on 16 February 2015 Retrieved 23 September 2014 Levin William 1975 Images of Love and Death In Late Medieval and Renaissance Art The University of Michigan Museum of Art p 71 Guss im wandel der zeit de Archived 2007 09 29 at the Wayback Machine Moxey Keith April 2004 Peasants Warriors and Wives Popular Imagery in the Reformation University of Chicago Press p 32 ISBN 9780226543925 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sebald Beham Hans Sebald Beham at Artcyclopedia Alison G Stewart Sebald Beham Entrepreneur Printmaker Painter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sebald Beham amp oldid 1179075708, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
