Job XXXVIII, XLII c. 16th century

Curator: This is "Job XXXVIII, XLII" by Hans Holbein the Younger. I’m immediately struck by its stark contrast. Editor: It's amazing how much detail Holbein packs into this small woodcut. You can almost feel the texture of Job's suffering body amidst the emerging capitalist landscape of the 16th century. Curator: The divine presence hovering above feels both judgmental and benevolent, shrouded in dramatic clouds, while Job is on a pile of dirt surrounded by people. The story’s essence is here. Editor: And look at the tools—the block itself, the gouges, the labour involved in producing multiple copies, disseminating ideas around faith and the material world to a wider audience. Curator: It’s a powerful and haunting reminder of faith and humanity's struggle with hardship. Editor: A meditation on production, reproduction, faith, and suffering, perfectly aligned with its time.