Initial B c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have Initial B by an anonymous artist, currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a woodcut print. The letter itself is so decorative, almost like it's trying to escape its function! What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Consider the cultural role of these illuminated initials. They marked importance. How did such displays of wealth and power influence literacy and access to knowledge? Editor: That's a great point. It makes me think about who this was made for and what kind of statement it was trying to make. Curator: Exactly. It reminds us to look critically at the choices behind creating and displaying art, even something seemingly small.