Illustration V c. 16th century

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this intriguing woodcut from the Harvard Art Museums, entitled "Illustration V" by an anonymous artist. Editor: Right, the first thing that jumps out is this figure surrounded by books, like a knowledge hoarder. A very bookish ghost indeed. Curator: He certainly appears consumed by the text he's holding. Consider the proliferation of printed materials at the time and the changing role of the scholar. Editor: It's interesting you bring that up; I'm not sure he looks very happy to be buried alive under books. Is it just me, or does he look trapped in a two-dimensional library of obligation? Curator: Perhaps. Or it might be a reflection of the changing intellectual landscape and the weight of accumulated knowledge. Editor: Maybe it's both. Sometimes even the greatest adventures are built on obligation.