Head- or Tail-piece c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have a small, anonymous print titled "Head- or Tail-piece" from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It possesses an antiquated aura; the image is comprised of dense black ink forming symmetrical, scrolling motifs, creating a stark contrast against the paper. Curator: Indeed, these types of ornaments often adorned the beginning or end of chapters in books, reflecting the socio-cultural aesthetics and printing practices of their time. These designs visually framed the written text. Editor: The formal composition suggests a deliberate play with positive and negative space; the intricate, curvilinear shapes seem to draw the eye inward. The image could almost be infinitely scalable without losing its structural integrity. Curator: Perhaps these decorations were signifiers of status, subtly reinforcing power dynamics within a society where literacy was not universal, or perhaps a means of beautifying knowledge. Editor: The stark, almost crude printing technique gives it a sense of authenticity, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely, these glimpses into the past remind us of how art and culture intertwine with systems of knowledge and power.