Letter E c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have "Letter E," by an anonymous artist, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It has such a beautiful decorative quality, like something lifted straight from the pages of a medieval manuscript. What draws your eye to this piece? Curator: Well, I'm immediately struck by the tension between the rigid, geometric form of the "E" and the organic, flowing foliage that surrounds it. It's like intellect trying to contain the wildness of nature... or perhaps the other way around! It reminds me of a garden, carefully cultivated, but still bursting with life. Editor: That’s a wonderful perspective. I was so focused on the letter, I didn’t really see the contrast. Curator: It invites contemplation, doesn't it? Next time you are writing the letter E, maybe you’ll see a garden there. Editor: I definitely will! It's like a whole new alphabet has opened up to me!