Illustration IX c. 15th century

Curator: This is Illustration IX, an anonymous woodcut currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Its graphic simplicity hits me first – the stark contrast, the dense hatching. It feels almost…severe? Curator: The anonymous artist uses bold lines to depict what appears to be a biblical scene, perhaps Christ among scholars. See the figures on the left, framed like devotional icons? Editor: Yes, and the way those vertical lines define the robes – they create a sense of volume, but also a kind of rigid conformity. It’s as if the figures are both present and flattened, real and symbolic. Curator: It's a fascinating tension, isn't it? This piece invites reflection on faith and knowledge, presented in a way that’s both accessible and deeply mysterious. Editor: Absolutely. It stays with you, this little image.