Letter H met vier kinderen van wie een kind zit op de rug van een kruipend kind 1522 - 1526

This woodcut, "Letter H met vier kinderen van wie een kind zit op de rug van een kruipend kind," was created by Hans Holbein the Younger. The letter ‘H’ is boldly constructed, but is softened by the figures of four children. Holbein uses tight, dense lines to create depth and texture, contrasting the pale, smooth bodies of the children with the rough, shaded areas that define the letter's form. The composition presents a fascinating tension, as the rigid structure of the letter interacts with the fluid, dynamic poses of the children. The letter is not merely a structural element, but a foundational space within which human forms interact. This interplay between form and figure invites a deeper consideration of how we perceive the world through the lens of language and symbolic representation. Holbein challenges us to look beyond the functional and to consider the symbolic depth inherent in the simplest of forms.