Initial C c. 16th century

Curator: This small woodcut, titled "Initial C," comes to us anonymously. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The boldness of the black ink against the stark white makes this seem remarkably modern, almost like a protest sign. Curator: Initial letters like these were commonly used to embellish illuminated manuscripts, each carrying symbolic weight depending on the text they prefaced. Editor: It's interesting to imagine who created this—a monk? A woman? What beliefs were they trying to communicate, if any, through this "C"? Curator: Precisely. Perhaps the floral motifs interwoven with the letter hinted at themes of creation, cyclical renewal, or even resurrection? Editor: Or maybe it’s an assertion of power—the initial for a patron’s name, a visual signifier of status amidst social hierarchies of wealth and knowledge. Curator: I find myself pondering on how a single letter can be so much more than just a linguistic marker. Editor: And I'm left wondering about all the untold stories it could tell us about the social conditions of its creation.