Illustration XLVII c. 16th century

Curator: Illustration XLVII is an intriguing, undated piece from an anonymous artist, currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. The stark black and white contrast gives it a dramatic quality. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the dense composition. The figures are embedded within the architectural forms, creating a powerful sense of confinement or perhaps integration with the city itself. Curator: It's likely meant to depict a scene from classical literature, possibly Virgil's Aeneid given the labeling "ENEAS" next to the character resting on a bed. Woodcuts like this often served to illustrate printed books and disseminate classical stories to a wider audience. Editor: The linear quality of the woodcut—the parallel hatching, the sharp angles—contributes to a frenetic energy. There is also a play between the solidity of the built environment and the more fluid, dynamic rendering of the figures. Curator: Right. This was a period of growing literacy and the increasing use of printed images in shaping public perception. Editor: Ultimately, the tension of line and form, figure and ground, renders a potent vision. Curator: I agree. It speaks to the evolving role of art in disseminating knowledge.