Letter I in een omlijsting met een voorstelling van een biddende man met een boek onder een boom 17th century

This small woodcut presents the letter 'I' amidst a scene of contemplation. The stark contrast of black ink on paper immediately draws the eye to the composition's interplay of positive and negative space. The letter itself, bold and upright, divides a landscape of prayer and reflection. To the right, a man sits in devotional repose beneath a tree. His figure, rendered with delicate lines, contrasts with the broader strokes depicting the landscape. The composition is framed on the left by a landscape with a distant city. This image invites a semiotic reading, where the 'I' not only signifies a letter but also represents the individual—juxtaposed against a backdrop of nature and civilization. The formal arrangement suggests a dialogue between text and image, where the act of reading becomes intertwined with spiritual and intellectual pursuits. The graphic simplicity encourages continuous re-evaluation.