Letter M c. 16th century

Curator: Well, isn't this something? Talk about drama in design! Editor: This is "Letter M," an intriguing, anonymous print housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The moment I saw it, I thought, "Intricate and slightly unsettling." Curator: Unsettling? The snakes? Editor: Perhaps. But more than that, it feels symbolic of the power of the printed word. This piece likely functioned within a larger political or religious system. The ornamentation, with its strange little figures, serves to elevate the letter—and, therefore, literacy itself—to a position of authority. Curator: Hmm. I just feel a sort of medieval gothic vibe. The patterns create an almost hypnotic visual experience. And yet, it makes me want to curl up with a good book. Editor: Exactly! Authority and comfort—a winning combination for the ruling class. Curator: It's a wild reminder that even something as simple as a letter can carry so much weight. Editor: Indeed. And that even anonymous art can tell powerful stories.