Letter V met kind dat ander kind op blote billen slaat 1522 - 1526

Editor: We're looking at "Letter V met kind dat ander kind op blote billen slaat" by Hans Holbein the Younger, created sometime between 1522 and 1526. It's a woodcut print held at the Rijksmuseum. It's, well, kind of disturbing. What strikes me is the casual depiction of corporal punishment. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: It's crucial to view this through the lens of its historical context. This was a time when discipline, often physical, was considered a standard part of child-rearing. The print functions on multiple levels. Firstly, as an illustrated alphabet letter, and secondly, as a reflection of social norms regarding childhood discipline. Editor: So, you're saying that our discomfort likely arises from a shift in cultural values surrounding acceptable parenting methods? Curator: Precisely. What's intriguing is how the image both normalizes and perhaps subtly questions such practices. Note the detail in the children's expressions. The engraving provides a detailed depiction. Does the face of either child elicit sympathy? What do we know about public attitudes at the time? These would also be interesting questions to explore. Editor: That's interesting. I initially just saw it as a violent image, but placing it within the social history changes everything. Now it feels like a document of its time, a commentary on power, childhood, and societal expectations. Curator: It underlines how our present values affect the way we see art. It serves as a powerful reminder to examine art through its original cultural background. Thank you!