Queen Isabella of Naples, Duchess of Lorraine (fol. CXLV v) 1497

Curator: So, what strikes you about this woodcut print? Editor: Well, this is a page featuring "Queen Isabella of Naples, Duchess of Lorraine," undated and by an anonymous artist. It's at the Harvard Art Museums. The tiny portrait looks really formal and symbolic. How do you interpret this piece? Curator: It’s so interesting to see how power is conveyed through these early prints. The flowers, the crown, the way she holds the scepter – it's all about legitimacy and lineage. Notice how her figure is framed in the text. It’s like she is both an image and an idea. What do you make of that? Editor: That's an amazing way to describe it! It’s almost like she's being presented as a concept rather than a person. Curator: Exactly! It makes you consider the role of printed images in shaping historical memory.