Leaf from St Jerome's Commentary on the Book of Psalms ('Liber de expositione psalmorum') c. 15th century

Curator: Here we have a leaf from Saint Jerome's Commentary on the Book of Psalms, dating back to the early period of printing. Look at this page, a riot of black ink forming borders brimming with floral and figurative designs. Editor: My first thought? Claustrophobic. The text is boxed in by that intense ornamentation. It's beautiful, yes, but feels so...contained, almost overwhelmed. Curator: The density does draw the eye. But consider the scenes depicted—the scholars at their desks, the musicians below—they speak to the act of creation and interpretation. It's a conversation between image and text. Editor: I suppose, but all I see is a fierce battle between the black and white. The text itself seems secondary, merely filling space. Curator: The page layout, typical of early printed books, emphasizes the importance of scripture and the divine. The borders are not merely decorative. Editor: Maybe so. I still feel as though the life’s been squeezed out of it. Curator: Well, I find a certain vitality in the detail, the dedication to craftsmanship. It's a testament to the power of the printed word.