Letter B 15th-16th century

Curator: This is "Letter B", a woodcut print of unknown origin housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s striking, the orange ink really pops, and the swirling foliate designs almost make the letter itself secondary. Curator: True, the level of detail suggests a highly skilled artisan. Think about the labor involved, carving each line, the precision needed to create a matrix that prints so cleanly. It was a commercial product, and likely part of a larger set of letters. Editor: And in that context, it's part of the rise of literacy and the democratization of knowledge. The letter “B” isn’t just an aesthetic object; it’s a building block of social change. Who had access to these letters? How were they used to empower or disempower? Curator: Fascinating to consider the hands involved, from the cutter to the printer, and finally, the reader. It is an eloquent testament to craft as a collaborative human endeavor. Editor: It is a great reminder of the power and the danger inherent in every act of communication.