St. James Minor, plate 3 from The Twelve Apostles 1545

Sebald Beham crafted this image of St. James Minor, around 1545, using engraving. Observe how light and shadow define the figure through a network of fine lines, creating a tactile sense of volume and texture. Beham uses a semiotic system, where objects signify attributes of the saint. The book represents knowledge and the flag with a cross symbolizes faith. These details, combined with the halo, signal St. James’s spiritual significance, yet the bare foot connects him to the earthly realm. The composition is structured by contrasts: divine versus human, knowledge versus belief, and action versus contemplation. The cross-hatching adds depth, embodying the period's blend of religious symbolism and humanist observation. Beham’s approach complicates simple readings, inviting ongoing interpretations of faith and representation.