The Early Modern Book

This course addresses the material culture of the book from the dawn of the printing press through the seventeenth century. It considers the transition from manuscript to print, the rise of the book industry, and the collaborations between publishers, authors, and artists that were central to the nature of books both as objects and vehicles of knowledge. Topics include frontispieces, dedications, typography, and page design; major early modern genres of visual and intellectual production (such as emblem books, scientific treatises, polyglot bibles, and cartographic atlases); as well as the cultural histories of reading, translation, and library collections. An art historical approach to book history. All seminars take place in Beinecke Library and center on close firsthand study of the books themselves.

Taught by Marisa Bass Fall 2017

Course Number: 
HSAR 620