Tail-piece c. 16th century

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Tail-piece," an intriguing, anonymous print in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Woah, this strikes me as playfully grotesque, like a heraldic beast dreamt up after too much wine. Is that a lion with antlers? Curator: Indeed. Note the symmetry, the linear precision typical of early printmaking. The intricate interlacing and the heraldic elements demand a structural reading. Editor: For sure, it is carefully constructed—but the beast itself feels rather wild. It's a fascinating tension. Almost like a visual pun. Curator: Precisely. Its aesthetic economy belies the rich cultural context it undoubtedly inhabited. Editor: Makes you wonder about the artist's mood that day, doesn't it? A wink in ink. Thanks for pointing it out.