Letter P c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Letter P," an anonymous print from the Harvard Art Museums. It's small, intricate, with a bird nestled beneath the letter. What do you see in this piece beyond just an initial? Curator: I see a reflection of power structures embedded within even the simplest forms of communication. Consider the historical context. Who had access to literacy, to the creation and dissemination of texts? This initial, adorned with nature, speaks to privilege. Editor: Privilege? I wouldn't have thought of that. How so? Curator: The deliberate craft, the time invested – these weren’t accessible to everyone. The natural imagery can also be interpreted. Who had the leisure to contemplate nature, to integrate it into artistic expression? Who was excluded from that narrative? Editor: So, even something seemingly innocuous like a decorated letter can be a lens for examining social inequalities? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the unspoken power dynamics at play. It really puts things into perspective.