Letter 6 to Julian, a Deacon of Antioch, regarding why Saint Jerome has not written and the religious profession of his sister c. 15th century

Editor: This is a page from an anonymous letter titled "Letter 6 to Julian, a Deacon of Antioch," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like it was printed a long time ago, and includes some small illustrations. What strikes me is how much labor went into its production, even before considering its contents. What do you see in this piece? Curator: As a materialist, I'm drawn to the means of production. Consider the paper itself, the ink, the printing press. Each element reveals the labor and resources involved in disseminating these ideas. The woodcut illustrations depict scenes of labor –scribes and artisans at work. Editor: It really highlights the value placed on the written word at the time. Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to think about literacy, access to knowledge, and the social context in which this letter circulated. Editor: I never thought about a simple letter having so much behind it. Curator: Every object tells a story about production, labor, and consumption.