Marchioness Maria of Monte Ferra (fol. CXXXXIX v) c. 15th century

Curator: Here we have an intriguing, albeit small, image of Marchioness Maria of Monte Ferra, part of a larger sheet held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The image certainly has a medieval feel! It evokes a sense of formality, but also a quiet dignity. The starkness of the woodcut adds to the gravity. Curator: As a print, likely part of a book, its materiality speaks to a specific mode of disseminating information and constructing reputations through repeated imagery. Consider the labor involved in both creating the image and the text around it. Editor: And the symbols! The banner reading "humiliabitur" and "ecclesia," combined with her gesture, suggests a complex relationship between humility, the church, and her societal role. What stories might these symbols tell? Curator: It's fascinating to consider how such a comparatively small piece reflects broader social and cultural production, from the making of paper to the ideologies it carried. Editor: Yes, this image, despite its size, clearly resonates with powerful visual cues, offering insights into a woman navigating her place in history.