Leaf IX c. 16th century

Curator: Look at this intriguing piece, simply titled "Leaf IX," an anonymous work held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The script itself is arresting. The density of the lines, those idiosyncratic letterforms—it feels so weighty, so deliberate, almost oppressive. Curator: Indeed. Its visual density invites closer inspection of the individual shapes of the letters and the overall formal composition on the page. Editor: For me, it conjures something far more personal. It reads as a testament, or maybe even a curse—the way the ink bleeds into the page suggests a document of immense emotional burden. Look at the phrase "Vivit Post Funera Virtus" at the bottom! Curator: I notice that the use of “Litera Bastarda” is very distinctive in this piece, which would have been considered a style of handwriting that was popular in the Renaissance. Editor: Right, but think about the very word 'bastard' in that context, laden with social stigma. Perhaps the scribe sought to subtly embed a sense of transgression within the formal script itself. Curator: I see your point about the symbolic weight, and my analysis would focus on the structural integrity of the lettering itself as a testament to skill. Editor: So, together, we get a glimpse into a historical document that is full of skillful execution and profound psychological depth, don't you think?