human
Why is the devil holding a scythe in the painting ‘The Inferno of Hieronymus Bosch’?
assistant
The devil is holding a scythe because he’s the Grim Reaper. In the painting, he is carrying a scythe and a skull. The scythe is the symbol of death, and the skull is the symbol of death and decay. The Grim Reaper is the personification of death, and in this painting he is carrying a scythe to collect souls.