Cimon and Pero 1540

Sebald Beham's 1540 drawing "Cimon and Pero" depicts the Greek myth of Cimon, a starving man, being nursed back to health by his daughter Pero. This powerful image of familial love, rendered in intricate detail using hatching, is characteristic of Beham's work, which often draws on classical mythology. The artist was active in the 16th-century German Renaissance, and his works are renowned for their technical mastery and emotional depth. This small-scale drawing (measuring 39.7 x 24.1 cm) is a testament to Beham's skill in capturing human emotion through line.