Letter P c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have an initial "P", by an anonymous artist, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s so intricate! How do you see this letter functioning within its time? Curator: Well, the letter "P", richly decorated, wasn't just about aesthetics. It signaled status, literacy, and power. How might this elaborate initial have affected access to knowledge? Editor: It feels almost like it was designed to be exclusive! It's lovely but definitely feels like it's guarding something. Curator: Exactly. Its beauty could serve to reinforce societal hierarchies, making certain texts feel sacred or unattainable. What does that say about the role of art in shaping our understanding of knowledge? Editor: I never thought about it that way, but it makes me question who the audience was and how they interacted with art like this. Curator: Precisely. And that's how art can become a window into the politics of the past.