Letter Q c. 16th century

Curator: What a captivating print! We’re looking at "Letter Q," an anonymous work housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It strikes me as unsettling—a figure caught between beasts within the letter's form. There’s a tension that's hard to ignore. Curator: Indeed. Consider that illuminated letters often marked the start of something important—chapters, ideas. This "Q," however, features a frenzied scene, perhaps reflecting the anxieties of its time. Editor: The wild animals, the almost sacrificial pose of the figure... are we seeing pagan symbols being reluctantly integrated into a Christian context? It feels like a struggle between belief systems. Curator: A plausible reading. Remember, prints like this circulated widely, shaping perceptions and reinforcing societal norms or anxieties. It's a potent piece of visual rhetoric. Editor: A potent and lasting image! It really sticks with you. Curator: It highlights how even seemingly simple designs can be loaded with cultural weight.