Initial O c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have a piece from the Harvard Art Museums, a small woodcut simply titled "Initial O," by an anonymous artist. Editor: My goodness, it's like a tiny, contained chaos! Look at all those little figures crammed in there. Curator: Indeed. Observe how the bold lines of the "O" frame the central figure. It's an interesting study in figure and ground. Editor: They look like little imps! Perhaps a mischievous spirit of the letter, or something darker? It has a rather demonic feel. Curator: That's a compelling interpretation. The grotesque imagery was quite common, and the letter "O" seems to be a vessel for a range of symbolic and narrative possibilities. Editor: It is certainly strange. I feel like I am staring into the depths of some bizarre imagination! Curator: A curious creation. Editor: Absolutely intriguing and unsettling.