Illustration IX c. 1550

Editor: This is "Illustration IX," an anonymous work housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a striking image with simple lines. What symbols stand out to you? Curator: Note the keys, symbols of authority and access, particularly in religious contexts. What emotional weight do these symbols carry for you, considering their potential to unlock or restrict? Editor: I hadn't thought about the restriction aspect. That’s powerful. Curator: Indeed. Consider also the halo. How does this symbol influence your perception of the figure’s identity and virtue? These images remind us of cultural memory and symbolic weight. Editor: It really makes you wonder about how people interpreted these symbols then versus now. Thanks!