Letter P c. 16th century

Curator: This is "Letter P," an anonymous print from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's got this very cool, almost hidden garden vibe going on. The letter almost dissolves into the surrounding foliage. Curator: Exactly. The labor involved in creating these decorative initials was often quite intense, blending craft and artistic skill. Think about the carving. Editor: Makes you wonder about the personality behind the hand, doesn't it? Was it painstaking and precise, or someone who found joy in the tiny details? It feels monastic, almost. Curator: The materiality of printing—the ink, the paper, the press—speaks to a whole social and economic context around book production at the time. Editor: I like getting lost in the swirls, it has such a calm and comforting feel, like a well-loved story. It makes you want to go on an adventure with a book! Curator: Indeed. It's fascinating how the everyday object contains so much history and creative energy. Editor: Absolutely. It really makes you think about all the unseen hands that bring these visual stories to life.