Letter P c. 16th century

Curator: This striking image from the Harvard Art Museums is simply titled "Letter P," by an anonymous artist. The work itself seems to be a print. Editor: It feels both playful and unsettling. The winged figures and lush ornamentation are charming, but there's a strange density to the forms. Curator: Consider the context. Initial letters like this were often used at the start of chapters in printed books, and the elaborate design would have signaled the beginning of a significant new section. Editor: The inclusion of mythological figures and natural motifs—like the bird perched atop the letter—suggests a reverence for knowledge and nature. Perhaps the artist is signaling a connection between classical wisdom and the printed word. Curator: Or consider how these images normalized certain ideal forms. These initial letters were often highly gendered, with the figures coded to indicate proper roles in social hierarchies. Editor: Even now, I find myself drawn to the interplay between the letterform and the human figures. It feels like a celebration of the body, intertwined with intellect. Curator: Yes, and thinking about the labour to produce it. Someone designed and carved this. It speaks to the democratizing influence of print. Editor: Exactly. It is a fascinating artifact—both beautiful and deeply embedded in its time. Curator: Indeed. A small object with such a large story to tell.