Illustration from Titus 4 1498

Curator:This page from a 1498 edition of the Vulgate Bible certainly has a striking layout. It's an early printed page, pairing dense text with a captivating woodcut illustration. What are your first thoughts? Editor: The illustration is small but intricate. It seems to depict a religious scene, maybe a sermon or a gathering. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see the burgeoning intersection of religious authority, nascent print culture, and the role of visual imagery. The woodcut serves not just to illustrate but to legitimize, making scripture accessible while simultaneously reinforcing its established interpretations. Consider who this benefits and who it potentially excludes. Editor: So the illustration isn't just decorative; it's a statement about power? Curator: Precisely. The control of knowledge, through both text and image, was a key site of struggle in this period. Reflect on that when you view other art from the era. Editor: That's a really interesting perspective; I never thought about it that way before.