Agnus Castus 1485

Editor: This is "Agnus Castus," made around 1485 by Johannes de Cuba. It’s a woodcut print with ink on paper. I'm immediately struck by how practical it seems—almost like a page ripped from a botanical guide. What do you make of its stark simplicity? Curator: It's interesting you see it that way. I see a confluence of medieval scholasticism and the rise of early printing. Think about the societal role of knowledge at the time. Illustrated herbals like this were instrumental, weren’t they, in democratizing information. The printing press enabled broader access, shaping public understanding of medicine and the natural world. Consider who might have owned this and what power came from possessing such knowledge. Editor: So, not just a straightforward guide, but also an object reflecting societal structures and power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. The clean lines and seemingly objective depiction belie a more complex story. What about the language used in the print? Does that give you a clue? Editor: Yes, it's Latin! Which likely meant that it was created for use amongst educated people in medieval Europe. It is like a statement that some people were meant to have this knowledge, while others did not. Curator: Exactly. Its design also reflects the aesthetics of the time. The very act of preserving and disseminating this sort of practical, botanical knowledge had social implications. How does understanding the social history impact your impression? Editor: It completely reframes my understanding. Seeing it not just as an objective document but as a product of its socio-political environment makes it much more fascinating. Thank you for your insight!