Capital G c. 1527

Editor: Here we see an anonymous piece, simply titled "Capital G". It appears to be an initial letter from a larger text, filled with floral patterns. What strikes me is the stark contrast of black ink on the paper, and the level of detail. What do you make of it? Curator: For me, this image speaks volumes about the labor involved in early printmaking. Think about the physical act of carving each line into a block, repeating the process for potentially hundreds of impressions. The very materiality of this image, the wood, the ink, the paper, all point to a specific mode of production and distribution of knowledge. It challenges our modern understanding of art, doesn't it? Editor: It certainly does. I hadn't considered the sheer effort involved, but it’s clear. Curator: Exactly. The beauty is inextricably linked to the means of its creation.