Illustration LXVII c. 16th century

Editor: This woodcut, "Illustration LXVII," is by an anonymous artist. Its composition is so busy, with all these figures and scenes crammed together. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see echoes of cultural memory. Janus, the two-faced god, and the artisans hammering away—symbols of transitions, beginnings, and the labor that shapes society. The stark black and white emphasizes the duality and the enduring power of these archetypes. What feelings do these symbols evoke in you? Editor: I see a mix of progress and tradition, a tension between past and future. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, images are never simply what they seem. They carry layers of meaning across time.