Ornament with Two Genii Riding on Two Chimeras

Sebald Beham was one of the Little Masters, followers of Albrecht Dürer known for their small, jewel-like prints. Beham's engravings were in demand both as collector's objects and as workshop models. This ornamental frieze with its counterpoised genii would have been copied by makers of furniture, armor, and plaquettes. The design evidently has its source in Italy, where it has been traced to a tapestry and a painting above a palace window in Vicenza.