St. Simon from Christ and the Apostles 1519

Hans Baldung created this woodcut of St. Simon, part of his series "Christ and the Apostles," during the early 16th century. Baldung, working in the German Renaissance, lived during a time of religious upheaval marked by the Reformation. Note the saw that St. Simon bears; this is the attribute of the saint, referring to his martyrdom by being sawn in half. Baldung has rendered the saint with strong lines and a stoic expression. The print, made accessible through its medium, would have circulated widely. It served as a tool for devotion and a reminder of faith, as well as sacrifice, at a time of intense religious conflict. Consider how the emotional weight of religious conviction is communicated through Baldung’s stark portrayal. The artist captures both the physical suffering and the spiritual resolve of St. Simon, reflecting a society grappling with questions of faith, identity, and allegiance.