Friar sowing c. 15th century

Curator: Here we have an intriguing image called "Friar Sowing," an anonymous work that resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Its exact date is unknown. What strikes you first about it? Editor: The friar's hunched posture, scattering seeds with such diligence. It gives off a mood of quiet labor and devotion, a mix of weariness and hope in the gestures. Curator: It's fascinating how a simple act – sowing seeds – can carry so much symbolic weight. Considering the historical context, sowing wasn't just about agriculture; it was a metaphor for spreading faith. Editor: Absolutely, the political role of religious imagery at play. This piece speaks volumes about the intersection of the spiritual and the agricultural in the medieval mindset, and that's rather special. Curator: I concur. It’s like a meditation on sustenance, both earthly and spiritual. Editor: It leaves me contemplating the simple actions that shape our lives, the seeds we scatter every day without realizing their potential.