Initial T c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have an anonymous woodcut print held at the Harvard Art Museums titled "Initial T." Editor: The stark contrast of the black ink on the creamy paper gives it a rather serious, almost somber feel, wouldn't you agree? Curator: These illuminated initials, often seen at the start of important texts, were powerful visual cues in a largely illiterate society. The imagery connects the sacred word to nature. Editor: Precisely. The letter T seems to be sprouting leaves, vines, and blossoms, hinting at themes of growth, creation, and perhaps even paradise. What do you make of the fact that we don't know the artist? Curator: It’s intriguing, and reflects the medieval workshop tradition where individual contributions were less emphasized than the collective endeavor to produce a beautiful, functional object for the church or nobility. Editor: I find the anonymity lends the artwork an air of timelessness, as if the message transcends any individual ego. Curator: A fitting thought, as it reminds us of art's capacity to serve not just aesthetic but also social and spiritual functions.