Bestraffing van de kinderen die Elisa bespotten 1538

This is a woodcut made by Hans Holbein the Younger, sometime in the early 16th century, depicting the Old Testament story of the prophet Elisha cursing children who mock him, resulting in their mauling by bears. The image uses sharp contrasts of black and white to emphasize the violence of the scene. The composition is divided between the children in the foreground and the figure of Elisha in the background, with the bears acting as an intermediate force of divine retribution. Holbein was working during the Reformation. This imagery reflects the period's religious and social upheavals. The woodcut’s stark moral lesson about respect for authority can be seen as a commentary on the social order of the time. To understand the deeper meanings of this work, we can consult historical texts, theological treatises, and social histories. By examining art within its historical context, we reveal its power to reflect and shape the values of its time.