Christ Speaking to the Jews c. 15th century

Curator: Here we have an intriguing anonymous woodcut, "Christ Speaking to the Jews," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The stark black lines give it an immediate tension. It feels almost confrontational, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. The artist's choice of woodcut emphasizes the stark divisions of that time—the religious and social constructs impacting identity. What do we make of that gaze? Editor: Well, it's about the labor of conveying such a charged scene through a relatively rudimentary process. The choice of material shapes our understanding of the message itself, I think. It all feels very weighted. Curator: It's a work of power, and the act of its creation underscores the weight of its message, doesn’t it? Editor: Indeed. Considering the process really deepens the piece's historical resonance.