Job I c. 16th century

Editor: This woodcut, "Job I," by Hans Holbein the Younger, screams disaster. I mean, look at Job! What do you see in his story, especially as captured in this stark image? Curator: It's a gut-wrenching scene, isn't it? Holbein’s choice of woodcut really heightens the drama. I see a man stripped bare, not just of possessions, but dignity, too. He’s reduced to his rawest self, grappling with existential pain. What do you make of the fire behind him? Editor: It looks like everything he owns is burning! It’s almost biblical. I guess it mirrors the inner turmoil, right? Curator: Precisely! Holbein condenses the narrative, making us confront the fragility of existence. Are we defined by our possessions, or by our resilience? Editor: That’s intense. I hadn’t considered the resilience aspect, just the suffering. Thanks, that gave me a lot to think about.