Letter D 17th century

This is an anonymous, undated artwork titled "Letter D," of unknown media, it measures a mere 33 by 35 millimeters. The letter ‘D’ is composed with a series of swirls and curvilinear forms creating a sense of movement and rhythm. This design can evoke a sense of playfulness, but it may also speak to broader historical themes. Consider the cultural status of literacy and education. Who had access to such refinement? How did calligraphy and typography serve to distinguish social classes? The careful execution suggests both a dedication to craft, and perhaps, to a system of hierarchy. In our contemporary moment, where digital fonts are ubiquitous, consider the labor, skill, and exclusivity that such a delicate rendering of a letter might have represented. What might it mean to reclaim these forms for alternative narratives?