Illustration V c. 1489

Editor: This is "Illustration V" from the Harvard Art Museums, created by an anonymous artist. The style is quite striking. What do you see in this piece in terms of its production? Curator: Notice the materiality of the page itself, the visible fibres, and the ink. The labor involved in producing each letter, each line, and each figure is palpable. This wasn't mass production; it was painstaking work. How might the value of the book be affected by its creation? Editor: I never thought about it that way, but the time and effort definitely add to its significance. Thanks!