Letter D c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have "Letter D," an undated print by an anonymous artist from the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating how much detail is packed into such a small space. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Notice the labor-intensive process of carving the woodblock to create this image. Consider, too, the social context: the printing press democratized access to images, moving away from hand-illuminated manuscripts and influencing the creation of affordable, reproducible art. How does the materiality of printmaking affect its perceived value compared to painting? Editor: That's a great point. I never considered it in terms of material and labor value before. Thanks for the insight! Curator: It changes our understanding of value, doesn't it?