Who painted Job and His Friends?

Job and His Friends was painted by Sebald Beham in 1535.

Where can I see Job and His Friends?

Job and His Friends is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

Job and His Friends

Job and His Friends is a print by Sebald Beham. It dates from 1535 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Hans Sebald Beham’s *Job and His Friends* is a small copper engraving dating from around 1535. Executed by the German printmaker who worked in Nuremberg before moving to Frankfurt, the image measures only a few inches across yet conveys a fully composed narrative scene. The print belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents the biblical figure Job seated with three companions beneath a leafy tree. A standing woman, holding a diminutive object, addresses the group, her calm posture contrasting with the men’s slumped, weary bearing. The accompanying Latin inscription alludes to themes of patience and suffering, echoing the trials recounted in the Book of Job.

Technique & Style

Beham employs the precise line work characteristic of the so‑called “Little Masters,” whose miniature prints followed the legacy of Albrecht Dürer. Fine hatching creates subtle tonal variations, while careful use of chiaroscuro models the figures against the background, giving depth to the stone wall, foliage and distant birds.

History & Provenance

Created during Beham’s early period in Nuremberg, the engraving reflects his reputation for intricate, small‑scale works. It later entered the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it has been catalogued as part of the museum’s European prints collection.

Context

The work exemplifies the mid‑16th‑century German interest in biblical subjects rendered for a private, devotional audience. As a member of the “Little Masters,” Beham produced prints that could be collected and examined closely, catering to collectors who valued technical virtuosity and compact formats.