Lev. XIX c. 16th century

Curator: This is Hans Holbein the Younger's woodcut, Lev. XIX, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: I’m immediately struck by the stark contrast between the celestial figures and the grounded labor in the fields. The heavens seem very separate from human toil. Curator: Holbein's work frequently navigated the social and political currents of his time. Consider how religious reform movements shaped the visual arts and this piece. Editor: Absolutely. We must also think about the laboring figures. Are they romanticized or are they a commentary on the social hierarchy of the period? It provokes reflections on power and inequality. Curator: Indeed, the woodcut's accessibility allowed for wide distribution. It was a tool for the dissemination of Reformation ideas and political commentary. Editor: And the medium itself, the woodcut, democratized the image. But who had access to it? And how did their interpretation influence societal norms? Curator: Holbein's artistry offered a lens through which society could examine itself, albeit from a certain perspective. Editor: His work reminds us that art is never neutral. It’s always participating in the ongoing narrative of power, identity, and resistance.