Building the Temple of Solomon; verso: Jonah Swallowed by the Whale c. 15th century

Curator: This anonymous woodcut, "Building the Temple of Solomon," it's like a snapshot from a dream, isn't it? All those stark lines and biblical overtones... Editor: It's quite striking. It feels very… industrious, but also a bit unsettling. What do you see in this piece beyond just a depiction of labor? Curator: Well, the contrast between the structured temple construction and the raw, almost crude lines of the woodcut itself… it speaks to the tension between divine aspiration and human fallibility, don't you think? It's as if the artist is saying, "We strive for perfection, but we're just human." Editor: I never considered the juxtaposition of divinity and "humanness." Curator: Exactly! It is art's way of reminding us that greatness comes from the grit.