Drie kinderen met een staf en pijl en boog 1547

Hans Holbein the Younger created this engraving, "Three Children with a Staff and Bow," and it resides in the Rijksmuseum collection. Observe the children bearing arms. In their hands, they carry not toys, but symbols of power and authority: the staff, the bow, and arrows. The staff, a classic emblem of leadership, reminds us of scepters wielded by monarchs, while the bow and arrows evoke images of both the hunt and warfare. The image recalls classical depictions of Cupid, who bears a bow and arrow to ignite love or inflict pain. The children in Holbein’s engraving appear to be engaged in a solemn march, their expressions hinting at a deeper, perhaps subconscious, understanding of the burdens that come with such symbols. This intertwining of childhood innocence with potent symbols of power presents a complex emotional landscape, reminding us that symbols never truly die; they resurface, transformed, in the collective psyche.