Letter A c. 1549

Editor: Here we have an initial, "Letter A," by an anonymous artist. It's a print from the Harvard Art Museums collection. I notice the letter itself is ornamented with vines and figures of children. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Well, consider where such an elaborate initial might appear. Often, these decorated letters signaled wealth and status, adorning illuminated manuscripts for the elite. The imagery, even seemingly innocent, served to reinforce social hierarchies. Editor: So, the innocent image could be a form of propaganda? Curator: Precisely. By controlling the visual language, those in power shaped cultural values and maintained their authority. What do you think about the medium? Editor: I guess the printmaking process itself made the image and the ideas more accessible. Curator: Exactly. It's fascinating how a single letter can reveal so much about the society that produced it.