Mother and Child with Skull and Hourglass

The Nuremberg brothers Barthel and Sebald Beham were among the elite Little Masters, the artistic heirs of Albrecht Dürer, known for their small, jewel-like prints. These diminutive works enchanted collectors, who appreciated their technical virtuosity and atypical themes. Barthel was especially gifted. His startling Mother and Child with Skull and Hourglass shows a mother nursing an infant whose limp pose, as well as the hourglass and skull, implies that he is most likely dead. The woman's Venetian costume and the Italianate landmark out the window show Barthel's debt to Italian art, a source of inspiration for many German artists. The charming Virgin and Child with a Parrot, inspired by Italian models, is notable as the first print ever purchased by Herschel V. Jones.