Cut XIV c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have Cut XIV, an anonymous engraving from the Harvard Art Museums. I'm immediately drawn to those winged figures suspended above the sea. What strikes you? Editor: A sense of freedom mixed with uncertainty. They're flying, yes, but where are they going? And that stylized landscape...it feels both ancient and timeless. The laboriousness of the engraving highlights the scene's artificiality. Curator: Indeed. The medium itself--the wood or metal that receives the cut--becomes part of the story. The precise lines and hatched textures give the scene depth, yet it is still a print, a multiple, produced for a market and consumption. Editor: The artist's hand, or the artisan's hand, feels very present. Almost like a dream captured in ink. It makes me think of myths, Icarus perhaps, though these figures seem more secure, more in control. It's beautiful, in a strange, haunting way. Curator: I appreciate that reading. It prompts me to consider how the materials and methods used contribute to this sense of longing and escapism. Editor: Absolutely, a journey in miniature.