Saint Erasmus as Bishop 

Curator: I'm struck immediately by the stark simplicity of the lines, like something found in an ancient storybook, the kind with ominous undertones. What do you think? Editor: Indeed! And this woodcut is attributed to Sebald Beham. The work, "Saint Erasmus as Bishop," presents a fascinating image of a saint who suffered a rather gruesome martyrdom. Notice the details of his vestments, and the environment that surrounds him: Sebald Beham shows the scene with incredible economy! Curator: It does have a storybook feel! And thinking of poor Erasmus now, those are not just decorative items, they speak to something… ominous? The composition looks almost naively drawn, and gives it, I think, an archaic flavor. The mountains there in the background... I see childhood memories mixing with iconography! Editor: Precisely, but childhood memories through the lens of faith, of course! The very limited tonal range and line work give him a quiet monumentality. And notice, to one side of Erasmus we see a twisted, somewhat primitive rendition of an object that appears to be his attribute: a windlass! It was, according to his legend, with this very device that his bowels were extracted! Curator: Ah, well there's the grim undertone confirmed! It's a bit terrifying to see something so awful presented so plainly, really. And I guess it says something about resilience to look to a saint who faced a terrible ordeal. I’d be likely hiding if that ever happened to me! Editor: The power of faith. As well, remember this piece would have existed in a culture utterly steeped in religious stories and, indeed, often violent imagery! A collective visual literacy shaped by the church. Beham really understood this! The bishop's imposing posture, the symbols... Curator: Gives one a lot to think about. I initially took in that pastoral scenery in the background and got such a comfortable feeling, while now I wonder whether something menacing is implied, something I can't shake anymore! Editor: A true convergence of artistic skill and cultural narrative then. I will be certain to remember "Saint Erasmus as Bishop" as one of Sebald Beham's pieces with very unsettling contrasts! Curator: It will certainly change the way I daydream among nature scenes! Now excuse me while I go ruminate on bowels being wound from torsos, and how to reconcile that with pleasant mountains...