Illustration XVII c. 1550

Editor: This is Illustration XVII, an anonymous work held at the Harvard Art Museums. It presents a figure with a staff and wearing a shell. What do you see here? Curator: The shell is the key. This imagery points to pilgrimage, particularly to Santiago de Compostela. Consider how such images functioned within a religious and social context, reinforcing the importance of pilgrimage as a public act of devotion and penance. How might this small, portable image have served pilgrims? Editor: Perhaps as a memento or a guide? It makes me think about the power of images to shape beliefs. Curator: Exactly. And to promote institutional agendas. Understanding the historical context reveals the complex interplay between art, religion, and power.