Crucifixion c. 15th century

Curator: This is an early woodcut print depicting the Crucifixion. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. The artist is currently unknown. Editor: The scene is striking, isn't it? Bleak, even. The figures, almost cartoonish, evoke a sense of human frailty against the backdrop of immense suffering. Curator: Indeed. Consider the role of the printing press. Images like these, accessible and reproducible, shaped the visual culture and religious imagination of the masses. Editor: Absolutely. And the positioning of the skull at the base of the cross – a symbol of mortality, perhaps signaling the promise of overcoming death, if you subscribe to the dogma. Curator: Well put. And the crude but powerful lines underscore the raw emotional impact, indicative of its historical period, influencing societal perceptions of faith and sacrifice. Editor: Looking at this, I'm reminded of the power dynamics inherent in religious imagery and how it continues to shape our understanding of power and victimhood today. It really is a powerful little thing.