Printing and Printmaking in the Hand-press Period
Course Code: 25MHI000V
This virtual workshop takes place on Thursdays, July 3rd – 24th, from 6:30PM to 8:30PM ET.
- Thursday, July 3rd, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
- Thursday, July 10th, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
- Thursday, July 17th, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
- Thursday, July 24th, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Registration for this workshop closes on June 23rd at 11:59pm ET.
About the Workshop:
In this class we will delve into the intertwined worlds of book production and printmaking in the early modern period. Sub-divided into four two-hour units, you will learn to recognize and appreciate the intrinsic qualities, advantages and disadvantages of producing images in the then common relief and intaglio printmaking processes. We will then examine in depth the unexpectedly complex process by which a text was printed by hand. You will be astounded by what a diverse assortment of learned scholars, skilled artisans, and ordinary laborers were able to achieve when their activities were coordinated by a savvy publisher. Finally, we will consider how these processes were combined and to what end when texts were embellished visually. Important considerations here include: What function did decorative elements and illustrations serve? What did the visual embellishment of a text entail in terms of costs and the time-to-completion of the project? And, what did a publisher’s decisions concerning the illustration of a book say about his/her intended audience?
Optional Materials:
- Antony Griffiths, Prints and Printmaking: An introduction to the history and techniques. Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1996.
- Sarah Werner, Studying Early Printed Books, 1450-1800: A Practical Guide. New Jersey, Wiley Blackwell, 2018. [$23.00 (e-book) or $29.00 (paperback) when ordered from the publisher’s website; $25.00 new from Amazon, used copies for less]
About the Instructor
Karen Bowen, is an art historian specialized in the study of printmaking, the production and illustration of books in the hand-press period, and the trade in prints and books in the early modern period. She routinely combines historical and archival research with a close examination of rare books and prints in order to better understand the historical record and how that is reflected in the objects we see before us.
Her publications address such topics as artists’ workshop practices, printmaking techniques and book illustration, collectors of prints and books, and the distribution networks and markets for illustrated books and prints in the early modern period.
Most recently she has taught courses for both Williams College and the graduate program in Library and Information Science at Long Island University.
All images courtesy of the instructor.