Letter S 15th-16th century

Curator: This woodcut, titled "Letter S", is by an anonymous artist. The dense composition looks quite striking, doesn't it? Editor: It does! It feels very active, almost chaotic. All of that detail packed into a small space. I wonder about the labour involved in carving something like this? Curator: It's interesting to consider the social role these illuminated letters played. Were they meant for private devotion, or a more public display of wealth and literacy? Editor: Right. And consider the means of production: Who was commissioning this? And what level of skill and apprenticeship was needed for the block cutter to achieve this level of detail? Curator: The fact that we don’t know the artist also speaks to the hierarchies of art production at the time. The printer likely took precedence over the image-maker. Editor: These power dynamics, embedded even in something as seemingly simple as an initial, are really fascinating. I appreciate seeing the labor and social context involved. Curator: Indeed, seeing art through that lens can offer an entirely different perspective on our cultural history.