Letter T c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Letter T," by an anonymous artist, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The image is so detailed, especially considering it's likely a woodcut. What strikes you about it? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the labor involved. Someone meticulously carved away wood to create this image, likely for mass production. How does its function as a reproducible image affect our understanding of its artistic value? Editor: That's a great point. It blurs the line between art and craft. Curator: Exactly. The materiality of the woodblock and the printing process itself become central to its meaning. We consume images like this easily, but what about the conditions of its making? Editor: It makes me think about the economic context too. Thanks, I'll consider all of this. Curator: My pleasure. Thinking about the material conditions helps us avoid purely aesthetic readings.