Letter Q c. 16th century

Curator: Here we see Letter Q, an anonymous print held at the Harvard Art Museums. The image, rendered in stark black ink, shows a vessel filled with fruit, encircled by an ornamented letter Q. Editor: It strikes me as quite dense, almost claustrophobic. The heavy linework and the sheer volume of details pack a visual punch, but I wonder about its accessibility. Curator: I would argue that the density enhances its symbolic weight. The overflowing vessel resonates with themes of abundance, nourishment, and perhaps even a cornucopia-like promise. It seems to speak to ideas of a collective harvest. Editor: Perhaps, but for whom? Vessels brimming with luxury items always make me consider the power dynamics at play. Who has access to this abundance, and who is excluded? Curator: An important question to pose when considering the enduring resonance of such imagery! Editor: Indeed. It’s a stark reminder that symbols, no matter how beautiful, are rarely neutral.