Initial N c. 15th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous "Initial N" print from the Harvard Art Museums. The detail is incredible! How was this made, and what do you see in it? Curator: I see a compelling example of material history. Considering it's a print, we need to think about the labour involved in carving the block, the cost of the materials, and the potential for mass production and consumption of such an image. Editor: Mass production, even back then? Curator: Precisely! This seemingly simple initial points to complex systems of production and distribution. What impact do you think that had? Editor: I hadn't considered it that way. It makes me wonder who owned it and how they valued it. Curator: Exactly! That interplay between labor, material, and value is key.