Letter R 15th-16th century

Curator: This is "Letter R," an anonymous print now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The texture! It looks like rust, almost like it's decaying, or maybe printed from a very worn block. Curator: Exactly. As a print, it embodies a specific mode of material production and distribution, challenging notions of unique artistic creation. Consider the labor involved in carving the block, the type of ink used, and the paper itself. Editor: I'm interested in its circulation and social function. How were these prints used? Who had access to them? Was it part of a larger series, an alphabet perhaps, contributing to literacy or decorative practices? Curator: Potentially both! These kinds of initial letters served a function within a larger system of the written word, highlighting the importance of text and information dissemination in society. Editor: Right. We can see the early printing press democratizing letterforms, which had previously been the domain of scribes and illuminators. It reflects a society in transition. Curator: Absolutely, and appreciating the materiality helps us unpack this transition. Editor: It makes you wonder who made the print and why.