Letter V c. 16th century

Curator: This intriguing block print, simply titled "Letter V," hails from an anonymous hand and resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a bold statement. Editor: My initial impression is of a whimsical, slightly unsettling fairytale. That stark black and white—almost a primal drama unfolding around this single letter. Curator: Right, the "V" is like a portal—or maybe a proscenium—framed by lush floral patterns and these ambiguous figures…are they cherubs? Are they meant to be menacing? Editor: Their poses suggest vulnerability, but their expressions are ambiguous, potentially reflecting a societal ambivalence towards innocence and knowledge. The letter "V" itself, could it represent vulnerability? Victory? Curator: Or even the very "void" of the unknown that we all must face? I’m caught by the contrast between the rigidity of the letterform and the organic chaos around it. It's like a battle between order and the untamed. Editor: Exactly! This tension is at the core. And that's why I keep circling back to the figures; they are the embodiment of that tension. Curator: It's as if the artist is reminding us that within the most structured of systems—language, belief, what have you—there's always this underlying current of raw, untamed humanity. Editor: A potent visual reminder that even the seemingly simple can be profoundly complex.