Letter C c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have Letter C, a striking initial from an unknown artist, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the sense of drama, despite the small scale. A definite air of mythological narrative seems to be unfolding. Curator: Indeed. The composition is fascinating. See how the rigid form of the letter "C" simultaneously frames and is disrupted by the organic forms of the figures within. The artist uses the letter itself to dictate the distribution of positive and negative space, creating visual tension. Editor: And look at the iconography! The classical figures, the amphora... it feels like a coded reference to Bacchic revelry, perhaps? A hidden world contained within the alphabet. Curator: An insightful interpretation. The dense cross-hatching and the contrast between light and shadow amplify the sense of contained energy. Editor: These visual elements speak to the enduring power of classical mythology—how its symbols continue to resonate across centuries. It is interesting to consider the artwork’s role in cultural memory. Curator: A fitting summation. It reveals how formal structure and symbolic weight can intersect to enrich even the smallest of artistic gestures.