Cut X c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have "Cut X", an anonymous woodcut print from the Harvard Art Museums. The scene depicts figures in an open landscape dominated by a large boar. What strikes you most about it? Editor: The chaos. The way the people are scrambling, the boar charging... it speaks to a societal anxiety, a lack of control, maybe even a fear of the wild encroaching upon civilization. Curator: Indeed. The boar itself, rendered with such bristling detail, embodies primal energy. Boars often symbolize courage and aggression, but also potential for destruction. Consider the visual weight it carries here. Editor: Exactly, and notice how the figures are positioned in relation to it—one already fallen, others fleeing. It reminds me of power imbalances we see reflected in contemporary power structures, where the vulnerable are left exposed. Curator: It’s an interesting parallel. In the visual language of the time, the boar might also serve as a symbol of base desires, or the untamed aspects of human nature itself. Editor: Perhaps. I still keep coming back to the broader social implications, how such imagery could reflect societal anxieties. Curator: It truly provides such interesting points for reflection. Editor: Absolutely, and it’s exciting how the narrative continues to resonate, even today.