Illustration VIII: Under God's command, Joshua leads Israel to invade the Promised Land (Joshua, 1). c. 16th century

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums holds this intriguing woodcut titled "Illustration VIII: Under God's command, Joshua leads Israel to invade the Promised Land (Joshua, 1)." Editor: It has an assertive quality, a forceful advance conveyed through the dense hatching and stiff figures. You can almost hear the clash of metal. Curator: The composition is quite interesting, how the anonymous artist uses the contrasting light and shadow to define the figures and their placement within the frame. Observe Joshua’s dominance at the center, drawing your focus. Editor: I’m drawn more to the process itself. The labor-intensive carving required to produce this image for mass dissemination. Think of the social impact – how many people could access and interpret this religious narrative through these printed images. Curator: The narrative itself is structured around binaries – chosen people and othered enemies – and rendered in the visual language of conflict, of command, obedience, and conquest. Editor: True, yet the texture of the wood and the ink on the page also speak of tangible connection to community, labor and shared stories, even if those stories promote unequal power dynamics. Curator: Indeed, a potent intersection of form and content. Editor: A lasting example of the power of reproducible media.