Karsthans' with Four Persons

Depicted as a peasant with a hoe, ‘Karsthans’ became a positive symbol for the Reformation-minded audience thanks to the pamphlet of the same name. Previously, he had been considered backward and coarse. Now he stood for the mature Christian who independently defended the new doctrine. This brought a ‘common man’ and theological layman into focus. It was in line with the Lutheran understanding of the church, which saw village communities as important bearers of the ‘new faith’.