Letter A c. 16th century

Editor: This woodcut, “Letter A” by Hans Holbein the Younger, is full of cherubs playing instruments around this large letter. It's whimsical! What do you make of this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating how Holbein infuses the sacred with the secular. The putti, traditionally associated with religious art, are here engaging in earthly pleasures—music, leisure. How does this interplay reflect the social upheavals of the Reformation, do you think? Editor: I hadn’t considered the Reformation! It’s like he’s questioning established hierarchies. Curator: Precisely! The letter 'A' itself becomes a stage for exploring shifting power dynamics and the evolving role of the Church and the individual in society. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about!