Initial C c. 16th century

Editor: Here we have "Initial C," an undated work by an anonymous artist, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It has a medieval, almost illuminated manuscript quality to it. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: It feels like a tiny, self-contained universe, doesn’t it? All that detail packed into such a small space. I imagine some monk hunched over it, painstakingly carving out those little floral flourishes. You can almost feel the dedication. What kind of story do you think it could introduce? Editor: Perhaps a chapter on cultivated gardens or blossoming intellect? It's so intricate for a mere initial. I've certainly learned more today to appreciate the world contained in an initial. Curator: Me too. It really does make you wonder about the stories that start with that "C."