Saint James the Greater c. 1545

Editor: This is Sebald Beham's "Saint James the Greater," a small engraving. It's amazing how much detail he packed into such a tiny space! What stands out to you about it? Curator: The print participates in a long tradition of representing saints as both powerful religious figures and symbols of civic identity. Consider the political implications of circulating these images widely in 16th-century Germany during the Reformation. Editor: So, this wasn't just a religious image, but a statement? Curator: Precisely. The act of choosing and displaying such an image carried significant social and cultural weight. What do you make of his pilgrim's staff and book? Editor: I guess they represent his journey and faith. It's incredible to think how much history is embedded in this little engraving! Curator: Indeed. It reminds us that art is always intertwined with the society that produces and consumes it.