Head-piece c. 16th century

Curator: This piece, simply titled "Head-piece," is held in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums, created by an anonymous artist. Editor: It's striking how intricate the design is. The symmetrical balance creates a very calming, almost meditative mood. Curator: Indeed. This kind of ornamentation in head-pieces was often used in printed books to mark divisions or decorate title pages. It signified status and care. Editor: The swirling motifs – the leaves and palmettes, all that black ink! – suggest an echo of older, perhaps even medieval, illuminated manuscripts. Curator: Absolutely. It's part of a long visual history, a link to the cultural significance of books and the power held within them. Editor: It makes you wonder about the context it originally lived in. How did this particular Head-piece affect readers’ interpretation of the book itself? Curator: Precisely. The politics of imagery are always at play, influencing how we perceive and understand the written word. Editor: It seems a small piece, but reveals so much about the values we place on knowledge and its presentation.