Capital A c. 1527

Editor: Here we have "Capital A" by an anonymous artist. It's part of the Harvard Art Museums collection and appears to be a woodcut or engraving. The letter is so ornate! What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, it's more than just an "A," isn't it? It's a whole little world! It reminds me of illuminated manuscripts, where every letter was a chance to let your imagination run wild. I see swirling vines and maybe tiny hidden creatures. Editor: Oh, I see the vines now! Curator: It's a reminder that even something as simple as a letter can be a work of art, full of stories waiting to be told. I wonder what the rest of the alphabet looks like. Editor: It makes me want to go write something beautiful, just to have an excuse to draw a fancy "A." Curator: Exactly! Art inspires art.