Initial I c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have an anonymous woodcut simply titled "Initial I," held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s striking how stark the contrast is; the solid black ink against the paper’s pale surface creates a very graphic presence. Curator: Indeed. The letter itself becomes a vessel, framed by these winding branches bearing leaves and what appear to be fruit. That stylized flora, it reminds me of medieval tapestries, and illuminated manuscripts. Editor: Absolutely, and that foliage both contains and accentuates the I-shape, dictating where the eye travels around the composition. You can really sense the careful hand that carved away at the block. Curator: It speaks to a larger tradition, where initials held such weight; the beginning of scripture, marking lineage, or even personal identity. Editor: Ultimately, it seems like a reminder that something as functional as a letter can also be an object of beauty. Curator: A beautiful beginning, then.