Ornamental Initial Q c. early 16th century

Georg Lemberger created this ornamented initial Q sometime between 1490 and 1540 using woodcut on paper. Lemberger lived during a tumultuous period marked by religious reform and social upheaval and this initial exists in a world where the printing press democratized access to knowledge but was also wielded as a powerful tool for shaping public opinion during the Reformation. Printed images were immensely influential in disseminating ideas and shaping cultural identities, and initials like this one, were the building blocks of texts. The ornate and decorative form speaks to the cultural status of the written word, but it also demonstrates how written language was being transformed through design and print. Look closely at the hybrid, almost monstrous forms which construct the letter. Note the tension between the familiar, readable letter, and the wildness of the design. What does it mean to embellish a letter with such unexpected imagery? Is it a celebration of knowledge, or a questioning of its established forms? This initial invites us to ponder the complex relationship between text, image, and the power they wield together.