Letter E c. 1500

Curator: So, here we have an interesting little piece: an anonymous artwork simply titled "Letter E," held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's so tiny! But the detail is remarkable. It has an almost medieval feeling, doesn't it? Very dense and ornate. Curator: Absolutely. The letterform itself is filled with these tiny dots, and the surrounding decorations feel like something out of an illuminated manuscript. The "E" might stand for "eternity" or "endeavor," perhaps. Editor: Or maybe it's just a letter. I'm probably being overly romantic, but I love how it's both simple and complex. I could happily sit and stare at it. Curator: I think that speaks to the enduring power of symbols—even a single letter can hold so much visual and cultural weight. Editor: I agree. A little gem, really.