Initial F c. 16th century

Editor: This intriguing initial "F" is an anonymous piece, whereabouts unknown, from the Harvard Art Museums. Its graphic quality is striking! What symbolic weight does it carry for you? Curator: Consider the visual language: the letterform intertwined with flora evokes illuminated manuscripts. These initials often marked significant passages. It speaks of origins, transitions, and a connection to something sacred. Editor: Sacred? In what way? Curator: It hints at cultural memory—a time when text was revered, each letter a doorway. It's a potent image, inviting contemplation of beginnings and the power of the written word. Editor: That's fascinating! I'll never look at a simple initial the same way again.