Illustration XIV c. 1550

Editor: This is Illustration XIV, an anonymous work held at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm really struck by the figure’s weathered face and bare feet. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, this little hermit speaks to me. It feels like a page torn from a medieval manuscript. I'm transported by his stick, his simple robe, his little halo – a beacon of humility. Maybe he is a fool, maybe a prophet. Editor: Prophet or fool... I never thought of it that way. Curator: It’s like looking into a mirror and seeing a reflection of our own journey. Editor: Thanks! That gives me a lot to think about. Curator: Absolutely. Art is nothing if not a conversation with ourselves.