Letter V c. 16th century

Curator: This is “Letter V,” an anonymous artwork from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has such a stark visual presence, a minimalist rendering softened by the botanical embellishments. Curator: Given the cultural context of illuminated manuscripts and early printing, it probably functioned as a decorative initial. The flowers and leaves could symbolize growth or literacy itself. Editor: The rigid geometry of the letter "V" provides a striking counterpoint to the fluid lines of the floral patterns. I read this tension as a visual analogy for the period's transitions. Curator: Perhaps, though it might also reflect the period's strict class-based constraints on literacy, with such stylized embellishments serving as visual reminders of social status. Editor: I see it now. The composition is much more about power and access than about botanical beauty. Curator: Exactly. It challenges us to consider whose voices were literally illuminated, and whose remained in the shadows.