Capital N c. 1527

Editor: This is "Capital N," an undated piece by an anonymous artist from the Harvard Art Museums. It's like a decorated initial from a book. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Well, considering its likely function as a decorative element, we should examine its societal role. How did such imagery reinforce literacy and authority in its time? Editor: So, the letter itself, with all the flourishes, was a symbol of power? Curator: Precisely. The act of reading, and especially access to beautifully rendered texts, was once much more exclusive. How might that impact our view of it today? Editor: I never thought about it that way; it’s like seeing a fragment of a whole social structure. Curator: Indeed. It's a potent reminder of how art participates in the construction of knowledge and power.