Gehistorieerde initiaal E met de bestraffing van de kinderen die Elisa bespotten 1635 - 1694

This initial E with the punishment of the children who mocked Elisha was created by Dirck de Bray. Within the letter's form we witness a biblical scene of divine retribution, a potent symbol of justice and moral consequence. Notice the prophet Elisha, his figure dominating the space, while below, children are attacked by bears, a brutal enforcement of divine law. This motif of punishment resonates across cultures. Consider the ancient Greek tragedies, where hubris invites nemesis, or even the medieval depictions of the Last Judgment. The theme of consequence for transgression echoes through time. The bears, agents of divine wrath, tap into a primal fear, embodying the untamed forces unleashed when societal or divine order is disrupted. The intensity of the scene suggests a deep-seated human preoccupation with justice, authority, and the repercussions of defying established norms. This image, charged with emotional and symbolic weight, reveals how certain archetypes and narratives persist, resurfacing across centuries in different guises.