Triumph of Divinity 1493

Curator: This woodcut, titled "Triumph of Divinity," is held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Its creator is currently unknown. Editor: It feels like a dense dream, doesn’t it? Like one of those medieval tapestries where everything’s packed in for symbolic punch. Curator: Exactly. Look at the iconography—the central figure on the cross, ringed by angels, surrounded by earthly figures and symbols. It speaks to power dynamics and faith. Editor: And the animals! They almost seem like they're staging a play—a lion, a dog, all these characters beneath the cross. Curator: Consider how religious narratives were used to legitimize social hierarchies. This image, though beautiful, served to reinforce those structures. Editor: Hmm, interesting. All that ornament and detail—it's a lot to take in, but it certainly gives you a lot to chew on. Curator: Indeed. Analyzing its visual language allows us to understand the social and theological frameworks of its time. Editor: And it makes me wonder, what triumphs are we celebrating today, and who is kept out of the frame?