The Beheading of St James

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool picture today! It's called "The Beheading of St. James," and it's super old – it was made way back in 1582! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). Wow, that's a long, long time ago! nn

This picture is like a tiny window into the past. It's not very big, only about as big as a large dinner plate, but it tells a big story. It shows a man named St. James. He's kneeling down, and he looks very brave. Do you think he's scared? Why or why not? (Pause for answers). nn

See the man with the sword, getting ready to chop? He's a Roman soldier. The picture shows us how St. James was killed a long, long time ago. Look closely at the soldier's clothes. They're all fancy and detailed, aren't they? But St. James's clothes are simpler. What do you think that tells us about the difference between them? (Pause for answers). nn

Look at all the people around them! They're watching. Some look sad, some look scared, and some maybe even look curious. Can you see all the different emotions on their faces? It's like a big crowd at a really important event. What do you think they're feeling? (Pause for answers). nn

The artist, Philip Galle, was really good at drawing. He made the picture using lots of different shades of gray. It's all black and white, but it still looks really interesting, doesn't it? How does he make it look so interesting even without lots of colors? (Pause for answers). nn

This picture isn't just about a sad event. It also tells us about how people believed in their religion a long time ago. It shows us a bit about what life was like back then. It's like a story frozen in time! What do you think this picture is trying to tell us? (Pause for answers). nn

So, what did you think of "The Beheading of St. James"? Wasn't it amazing how much we can learn from just one picture? Remember, art can tell us stories from the past and help us understand the world around us. Now, let's go look at some more amazing art!