Letter D in een omlijsting met een bijbelse voorstelling 17th century

This small woodcut shows the letter D, and it includes a Biblical scene in its negative space. Its creator is unknown. This image would have been part of a larger alphabet set that could have been included in any early printed book coming out of Northern Europe. We can see how this letterform is itself a kind of institution: it brings together a method of communication with the religious and social stories of its time. The letter ‘D’ refers to ‘Deus’, a Latin term for God. Its imagery, of a kneeling man presenting a crown to a king, comments on social structures and authority. Such images are not simply illustrations, but also tools of power and social understanding. They suggest that one is meant to give respect and deference to authority. To fully understand such a print, historians consult not only art collections but libraries and archives. This way, we can gain a richer understanding of the intersection of art, religion, and the social order.