Leaf of Diptych with Ornament c. 6th century

Editor: This is an interesting panel, titled "Leaf of Diptych with Ornament" by an unidentified maker, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s got a sort of aged, tactile quality to it. What can we learn from focusing on the 'how' and 'why' it was made? Curator: Well, consider the materials and labor involved. It is not necessarily "high art"; what purpose did it actually serve? Was it mass produced, or individually crafted? The materials themselves, what do they tell us about available resources and trade networks? Editor: So, instead of focusing on the aesthetic value, we're thinking about the economic and social contexts that enabled its creation? Curator: Precisely. By examining the means of production, we can potentially uncover the networks of labor and consumption that brought this object into being. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Editor: It certainly does. Thanks for offering a different perspective.