Letter I c. 16th century

Curator: This is "Letter I," an anonymous print residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's strangely unsettling; the contrasting textures create a sort of primitive, anxious energy. Curator: The heavy reliance on line and texture suggests a woodcut; given the era, production would have been laborious, highlighting skill and material constraints. Editor: The figures on either side evoke a sense of unease, reminiscent of medieval demonology with those strange tufts on their heads and that knotted I almost looks like a binding spell. Curator: Perhaps, but consider the piece within the social context of literacy and book production—it's both functional and decorative, a testament to accessible knowledge production. Editor: Still, the visual language speaks volumes about cultural anxieties. It's a potent, unsettling combination of image and symbol. Curator: A reminder of how intertwined labor, symbolism, and social context become in the creation and interpretation of art. Editor: And that even a simple letter can carry centuries of cultural baggage!