Initial I c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous block print called "Initial I." It’s quite small, and I’m struck by the contrast between the crisp black ink and the slightly rough paper. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: The real story here is in the production. This initial was likely created using a woodblock. Think about the labor involved. Each line, each leaf, meticulously carved by hand. How does that process shape our understanding of literacy and image making in its time? Editor: So, it's less about the letter itself and more about what it took to make it? Curator: Precisely! And how that process democratized access to images and text, influencing the means of production and consumption of art. Editor: That's a totally different way of looking at it. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Thinking about the materials changes everything.