The Virgin with the Pear - Hans Sebald Beham

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer

"The Virgin with the Pear" by Hans Sebald Beham (1520) Engraving in black on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"The Virgin with the Pear" by Hans Sebald Beham (1520) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expre ssive work. Themes to notice include engraving. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Hans Sebald Beham is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Sebald Beham German, 1500-1550. The work is cataloged within a Germany cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as engraving, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Engraving in black on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image/sheet, trimmed within platemark: 11.2 × 7.4 cm (4 7/16 × 2 15/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include engraving. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/77431

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data