I love this picture so much. It’s a rare depiction of an ass-warming that somehow feels heartw

I love this picture so much. It’s a rare depiction of an ass-warming that somehow feels heartwarming.

The schoolmaster doesn’t look mad at the boy or too enthusiastic to punish him. He is visibly concentrated on the paddling - because it is a part of his work, and he’s devoted to it. Overall, this teacher looks like a father figure (his nice facial hair definitely help); perhaps he deeply cares about this kid and the whole class, and for him, caring includes spanking when needed.

But why is it needed here? I can’t imagine this cute barefoot boy as a huge troublemaker. Looking at the embarrassed blush, I even believe it is his first school spanking. And if the teacher doesn’t grab the paddle without a good reason, something has gone horribly wrong.

Maybe the boy is more ashamed of what he did than of the punishment itself? I wonder if he is a smart student who let his grades slip, or a quiet kid who got into a fight… When puberty hits, a young man changes, sometimes for the worse - and it takes a caring adult man’s hand to guide him. This hand can hold a paddle - as long as it will help.

Once again - an amazing, thought-provoking artwork.