symbolism
Sometimes paintings hide some less evident meanings in the scene that is represented, they depend on the painter’s or the customers’ culture. In this picture, for example, the contraposition between New and Ancient Testament seems to be evident. There is a book written in Hebrew, there is Jesus, the Messiah announced by the scriptures, his hands are numbering his issues. Durer chose to represent hostility through the doctors expressions and not admiration (as in Luke’s Gospel). If Jesus had not been a young boy we could think of Him as we see Him at the time of the Passion, when He is beaten by the soldiers..