Initial M c. 16th century

Curator: Let's muse a bit about this initial "M" by an anonymous hand, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's brimming with foliate decoration. Gives me a feeling of secret gardens, doesn’t it? Editor: Immediately I see abundance—the "M" as a vessel overflowing with the gifts of nature. Look at the grapes, the curling leaves! It evokes a sense of fertility and growth, a visual echo of the letter itself, poised to begin a word, a sentence, a story. Curator: I think the way those vines snake around... it suggests a certain controlled wildness. Imagine this adorning a manuscript page, the start of some medieval meditation. Editor: Absolutely. And the black and white contrast, so stark, really draws the eye. It's a study in dualities: order and chaos, light and shadow. The "M" itself is so defined, yet the flora spills beyond its bounds. Curator: I wonder what the artist intended to convey. Perhaps they thought of "M" as representing Mary, mother of God, since it is a common theme during medieval times. Editor: Or maybe it's just a celebration of the alphabet, each letter a universe waiting to be explored. It certainly invites contemplation. Curator: Indeed, it reminds us that the most powerful symbols are often the simplest. Editor: Leaving us to decode the beauty hidden in plain sight.