Letter A c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have Hans Holbein the Younger's "Letter A," a woodcut initial now held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking how much is packed into this tiny square. The density of figures and patterns gives it a weighty, almost claustrophobic feel. Curator: Indeed. Holbein uses the negative space of the letter form itself to frame these rather grotesque, theatrical figures. On the left we have an old man and another figure and at the bottom another crouched figure. Editor: I see a world steeped in patriarchal structures, particularly those that subordinate the body. Curator: Perhaps we are witnessing a fragment of cultural memory embedded in alphabetic form, a reminder of how symbols can carry the weight of societal values. Editor: It makes me reflect on the historical underpinnings of language itself, and who it has served across time. Curator: It’s a small work, but it opens up expansive questions about the very nature of representation. Editor: Yes, a tiny window into a history that continues to shape us.