Border c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Border," by an anonymous artist. It’s housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The dense foliage and fantastical creatures give it an almost dreamlike quality. What symbolic weight do you think this border might have carried? Curator: The border, ubiquitous across cultures and time, signifies not only division but also connection. Notice the interwoven flora and fauna: this creates a visual metaphor for harmony and the cyclical nature of life. Do you see how the fantastic creatures blend natural and mythical realms? Editor: Yes, the mythical blends with the natural! Is it also commenting on the human desire to control and classify nature? Curator: Precisely. The act of framing, of creating a border, implies a desire to contain and define. But here, the wildness of the design resists complete containment. What does that suggest to you? Editor: It's like the border is trying to hold something back, but the image resists! Thanks, I am really understanding how images carry so much weight. Curator: Indeed, this border reminds us that even in constraint, the human spirit, like nature, seeks to flourish.