Illustration I c. 1491

Editor: Here we have "Illustration I," by an anonymous artist, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by the awkward posture of the kneeling figure. What story do you think this image is telling? Curator: It reminds me of those medieval morality plays! See the little green demon hovering near his face? Maybe it's a scene of temptation, or perhaps even exorcism. What do you make of the flat, almost cartoonish style? Editor: It feels very direct, like a visual sermon. I guess it lacks nuance, but maybe that's the point? Curator: Exactly! It's like a punchy visual statement, designed to stick in your mind. It makes you wonder about the power of images in a world before everyone could read, doesn't it?