# Barthel Beham artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/barthel-beham/
Profile generated: 2026-05-23T14:02:43.581Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: German
- Movements: German Renaissance
- Common media: engraving (printmaking), painting, miniature painting, drawing

## About Barthel Beham

Barthel Beham (1502–1540) was a German painter, engraver, miniaturist, and draftsperson born in Nuremberg. Active during the first half of the sixteenth century, he is recognized for small-scale copperplate engravings and portrait miniatures of notable refinement. He was the younger brother of Sebald Beham, himself a prominent printmaker, and both brothers worked within the artistic environment of Renaissance Nuremberg. Beham served as a court painter and produced engravings on religious, mythological, and allegorical themes that circulated widely across Central Europe. His career was brief—he died in Bologna in 1540, likely in his late thirties—yet his output left a lasting mark on German printmaking. Collectors today most often encounter his work through his engravings, which appear regularly in Old Master print auctions and museum print rooms.

## Common works and media

Barthel Beham is most commonly represented in collections and at auction by small copperplate engravings on religious, mythological, and allegorical subjects, as well as portrait prints and portrait miniatures. Drawings in pen, ink, and wash are less frequent but do appear. Painted works attributed to him are comparatively rare on the open market.

## Market and appraisal context

Barthel Beham's works appear on the market primarily as small-scale copperplate engravings and, less frequently, as drawings or paintings. For appraisal purposes, impression quality, plate wear, paper condition, and provenance are key factors. Early, sharp impressions on good paper command stronger results than later, worn states. Attribution can be complicated by the close stylistic relationship between Barthel and his brother Sebald Beham; specialist connoisseurship is often required. Comparable auction records from Old Master print sales provide the most reliable valuation benchmarks.

## Appraisily data basis

This artist page combines identity research from Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, Wikidata, and Library of Congress authority files with auction-house context and comparable sale records when available. Biographical data, name variants, and family relationships are drawn from these institution-grade sources.

## Sources

- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/5976
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q499934
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/59357156/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500010818
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barthel_Beham
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr91026284