Letter V c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have "Letter V," an intriguing initial from an unknown artist, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. The date is unknown, which poses some questions about its creation and context. Editor: Ooh, my first thought? It looks like a medieval heavy metal band logo. The contrast is stark, the letterform aggressive, but the flourishes add this unexpected elegance. Curator: Indeed. Consider the cultural role of these decorated initials. They weren’t just pretty; they signaled the start of something important, a new chapter, a divine text. Illumination served to elevate the word. Editor: Absolutely, you're right. Thinking about it, there's something ritualistic in the repetition, almost meditative. The anonymous creator poured intention into something we now see floating in art history. Curator: Anonymity raises fascinating questions about art production and authorship. Was this a collaborative work, or was the artist simply not considered important enough to record? The politics of art, even then. Editor: I love that unknown aspect, though. It frees me to imagine its stories, its secret origins. Now, that's freedom.