Letters A and B c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have 'Letters A and B' by an anonymous artist. It's a print, featuring these ornate, almost grotesque letterforms. What strikes me is the way the letters incorporate both classical motifs and something almost rebellious. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deliberate subversion of power. The grotesque faces and playful cherubs disrupt the formality expected of illuminated letters, challenging the elitism often associated with literacy and access to knowledge. How might this piece be read as an early form of cultural critique? Editor: So, it's not just decorative, but a statement about who gets to define beauty and knowledge? Curator: Precisely! It asks us to consider who is included and excluded from the dominant narratives. It’s a powerful, albeit subtle, act of defiance through art. Editor: That's really changed how I see it. I'll never look at calligraphy the same way. Curator: And that's the point, isn't it? To constantly question the established order.