Letter P c. 16th century

Curator: There's a peculiar little print in the collection here at Harvard, simply titled "Letter P." It's by an anonymous artist, a small block letter surrounded by floral embellishments. Editor: It feels both monumental and intimate, doesn't it? That stark black and white, the bold letterform asserting itself amidst delicate swirling leaves. It whispers of secret societies and illuminated manuscripts. Curator: Absolutely. Letters, especially in this period, carry such potent symbolic weight. Think about the power of the printed word, the Reformation...even just personal seals. This single "P" feels like a fragment of a larger, unwritten story. Editor: And the leaves, almost aggressively decorative, curling possessively around the letter. They suggest growth, but also perhaps a kind of...enclosure? Is it protecting something, or preventing it from escaping? Curator: Or perhaps the "P" itself is blossoming? We often forget that letters, like all symbols, have a life of their own, growing and changing meaning over time. Editor: It's fascinating to consider how a seemingly simple initial could hold so much. A miniature universe, really.