Letter P c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have Hans Holbein the Younger's "Letter P," a woodcut print. The detail is amazing, and it’s bursting with life! It looks almost like a little stage. What do you see in this miniature drama? Curator: It's Holbein playing with the alphabet, isn't it? The letter becomes a scene, a world even. I see putti, like mischievous stagehands, and a hint of something darker lurking beneath the surface. Do you notice the almost grotesque face peering out? Editor: I do now! It definitely shifts the mood. I was so caught up in the playful cherubs. Curator: Holbein was a master of layering meaning, of hiding secrets in plain sight. It's a reminder that even the most innocent-seeming things can contain hidden depths, right? Editor: Absolutely! I’ll never look at illuminated letters the same way again.