Letter E c. 16th century

Curator: This small, anonymous print at the Harvard Art Museums is known as "Letter E." It depicts several cherubic figures within the form of the letter itself. Editor: It’s striking how raw the lines are, almost aggressively cut. You can feel the hand of the artisan pushing the tool. Curator: The iconography of putti—or chubby male children, often winged—carries echoes of classical Eros and Christian angels, representing both secular love and divine grace. Editor: And look at the level of detail achieved through such simple means. It makes you wonder about the original purpose and context of its creation. Was this a singular print or part of a larger illuminated text? Curator: Perhaps it once graced the opening of an illuminated manuscript, signaling the beginning of a sacred passage with earthly and celestial imagery. Editor: It reminds us that even the smallest, most functional objects can possess an extraordinary level of craft and symbolic depth.