Initial A and a New Year's Wish
1483
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1483
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This page shows a decorated letter "A" with a small scene inside it—a woman in a tall, pointed hat holding a book. The rest of the page is packed with tiny text in a blocky, medieval script. Bright colors like orange, green, and brown highlight edges and details, making the letter and text stand out against a light background. The text looks like a calendar or list of saints’ days, with notes about when to pray or fast. The woman in the "A" might be a saint or a symbol for the new year, given the title. Next, look up woodcut to see how this printing method worked.
![Studies for Six Figures (sheet from a model book) [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/4837429e0755bc3f/thumb.webp)
