Adam Cultivating the Earth c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have Hans Holbein the Younger's woodcut, "Adam Cultivating the Earth." It depicts Adam laboring, while Eve nurses a child nearby, and Death lurks in the background. What social commentary is Holbein making here? Curator: It is impossible to ignore the socio-political context in Holbein's work. The presence of Death, alongside Adam's toil, could be interpreted as Holbein's view on the intersection between man's labor and his mortality. How does the setting contribute to this narrative? Editor: The barren landscape certainly reinforces the harsh realities of their existence after the Fall. It’s interesting how the artist uses imagery to express the socio-political view of the period. Curator: Indeed! Holbein masterfully uses religious narrative to comment on contemporary social realities. And for whom were those images intended?