Letter C c. 15th century

Editor: This is "Letter C," an anonymous work, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a woodcut, and I'm struck by the detail achieved despite the likely limitations of the medium. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The roughness of the lines suggests a focus on process over polished perfection. We should consider how this image functioned within a larger system of production. Was it part of a book? How did its materiality affect its reception and circulation? Editor: So you're thinking about the labor and the means of distribution, rather than just the image itself? Curator: Precisely. The materiality of printmaking shaped early modern culture, creating a bridge between artisanal craft and burgeoning capitalism. What else do you notice about the details, and how might they impact the utility of the image? Editor: I see, it's a functional object shaped by the social conditions of its creation. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. It encourages me to look at the everyday items around me with a new lens.