Saint Lucy c. 15th century

Editor: This is an anonymous woodcut print of Saint Lucy. It appears to be a page from a book, probably made sometime in the late medieval or early renaissance era. The scene is very still and symbolic. What do you see here? Curator: Indeed. Lucy is often shown with her eyes on a platter, as the story goes that she had them gouged out for her faith, but here, she holds a lamp, a symbol of enlightenment. Look at the surrounding stylized flora. Editor: It is like a memory of a garden. Curator: A garden, yes, but also the promise of eternal life, a symbolic paradise. Editor: That's an interesting perspective. I hadn't thought about the idea of promised paradise. Curator: Symbols shift with time but retain echoes of their earlier meanings. Editor: Right. It makes you wonder how future generations will interpret our symbols.