Nova Alphati Effictio Historiis Ad Singulas Litteras Correspondentibus 1595

Theodor de Bry made this engraving, *Nova Alphati Effictio*, which translates as 'a new depiction of the alphabet' in the late 16th century. During this period, the rise of printmaking allowed for the wide dissemination of images and ideas across Europe and beyond. In this image, the letter "X" is not just a simple character but an elaborate tableau of human figures, symbolic objects, and natural forms. Produced in what is now Germany, at a time of growing global trade and colonization, the image embodies the humanist interest in classical antiquity and the natural world. We can see allusions to mythology and science but also the economic structures, and social hierarchies of the time. This elaborate letterform reflects the fusion of art, science, and commerce that characterized the period. To fully understand the image we might research period emblem books and natural histories, while also considering the history of the book trade and the market for luxury prints in Northern Europe. In doing so, we come to see that even a single letter can be a window onto the complex world of the late Renaissance.