Erik kwakkel confesses his love of medieval books 09 may 2017. Erik kwakkel, a book historian in leiden, netherlands, talks about his passion for medieval books and the benefits of blogging. Such doodling was common practice at the time, notes medieval book historian erik kwakkel. Books before print medieval media and culture erik kwakkel on. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs 800. Mar 22, 2017 late medieval bookbinding with feet, leiden, university library, bur ms q 1, c. The enigmatic premodern book by erik kwakkel youtube. Understanding the medieval book, seminar with erik kwakkel university of british columbia, university of south carolina, april 67, 2020. Almost a thousand years after boethiuss 524 execution, one late medieval reader of his book perhaps inspired by the text, or notleft the drawing you see above on the last page of a 15th century english illuminated manuscript. Medieval authorship in theory and practice kindle edition by stephen partridge, erik kwakkel. Erik kwakkel catalogs some of the worlds oldest doodles. The european book in the twelfth century cambridge studies in medieval literature.
Leiden university book historian erik kwakkel describes his tumblr site as follows. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. Jun 09, 2016 experts think that 15 of all old books contain hidden pages, and modern xray technology may help them find the secret text. Most medieval bookstores were empty because books were too expensive to have in stock. Jan 24, 2019 erik kwakkel, books before print leeds. Erik kwakkel is a professor at the ischool library, archival and information studies university of.
Understanding the medieval book mary jaharis center blog. Kwakkel has also been investigating how bookmakers found creative solutions around damaged parchmentthin membranes of cow and sheepskin used for. For the past few years, medieval book historian erik kwakkel has been poring over some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts at leiden. Historian erik kwakkel has spent years at leiden university in the netherlands examining some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts. Nov 25, 2014 leiden university medieval book historian erik kwakkel has documented some of the creative methods scribes used to make repairs or even incorporate holes in parchment into art. Erik kwakkel is a research scholar of paleography and codicology at leiden universitys centre for the arts in society. Dr erik kwakkel, a medieval book historian at leiden.
He has a popular blog where he shows rare books and fascinating bookrelated antiquities. In order to clear the skin of flesh and hair, it was attached to a wooden frame, tight like a drum. Another day, another collection of fascinating discoveries from medieval book historian erik kwakkel who previously introduced the internet to his observations on the history of doodles, color theory, and rare forms of bookbinding. Pen trials are small sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe would make while testing the ink flow of a pen or quill. Erik kwakkel, a book historian at leiden university in the netherlands tells alberge that one in five early modern books contain. Oct 02, 2014 for the past few years, medieval book historian erik kwakkel has been poring over some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts at leiden university, the netherlands, as part of his ongoing research on pen trials. The oldest advertisements for books, medievalbooks. Hes fascinated with pen trialssmall sketches drawn. Armchair traveler flash fiction magical stories by. Author affiliation details are correct at time of print publication. Ancient books may hide other texts inside mnn mother. The oddest accidents we have found in medieval books.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Medieval authorship in theory and practice university of toronto press, 2012 and author of books before print, forthcoming in 2018. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and. Hes the medieval book historian from the netherlands leiden university who brought us the delightfully distracted and cheeky doodles that medieval student. The european book in the twelfth century cambridge. Books in lectern libraries were not read on a flat surface such as a desk, but erect the objects were resting, after all, on nearly vertical stands. Continental scribes in rochester cathedral priory, 10751150, in writing in context. A medieval book that opens six different ways, revealing six. As scaliger professor, erik kwakkel is responsible for the academic context of the complete special collections of the leiden university library. Manuscript innovation in the twelfthcentury renaissance. A gorgeous oneofakind dutch watercolor mixing manual. Hes a medieval european book historian and a professor at leiden university in the netherlands. The study of medieval book culture has been on the rise in recent years.
Jul 31, 2018 books before print medieval media and culture kwakkel, erik on. Instead, each customer would have a long talk with the shopkeeper, who would ask how much he wanted to spend, what materials he preferred, what kind of writing style should be used for the textand so on. Mar 19, 2018 either that, or they would fear that the stolen book might be traced back to its rightful owner the medieval equivalent of indelible ink. Kwakkel is fascinated with pen trialssmall sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe would make while testing the ink flow of a pen or quill. Ancient textbook doodles prove school has been boring for. Medieval authorship in theory and practice stephen partridge, erik kwakkel on. While the st albans bible can be placed in an important center of book production, in many respects its history remains as incomplete as the book. Sharing a binding this is a clever book from the 18th.
How did the medieval manuscript develop as a physical object during the twelfth century renaissance and what do these changes tell us about the intellectual culture of the period. Various examples of medieval book advertising are discussed in erik kwakkel, medieval spam. University of british columbia, a rockstar of the book history world. Xrays reveal hidden library on the spines of early books. Bringing into conversation several kinds of scholarship on medieval authorship, the essays in author, reader, book examine interrelated questions raised by the relationship between an author and a reader, the relationships between authors and their antecedents, and. Erik kwakkel is book historian and professor at the school of library, archival and information studies at the university of british columbia, vancouver. Oct 05, 2014 i loved medieval graffiti, and now i find out that there are medieval doodles, too. Perhaps, as the book historian erik kwakkel has speculated, john foss himself was a book thief. This post is part of a multipart series of posts on ancient and medieval wonders, to celebrate my 99c pearseus. Apart from academia, the study of medieval and early modern manuscript and book culture is also gaining popularity outside the. For those who are not aware of the term, paleography actually refers to the study of historical scripts and writing systems, in order to decipher and more importantly, date the various ancient manuscripts accurately. Nov 01, 2019 erik kwakkel, books before print leeds.
Daniele is joined by erik kwakkel, a rockstar of the book history world. Books in the middle ages with erik kwakkel youtube. However, the original name has been scratched out, and the name john foss is a later addition. Medieval selfies and the earliest selfiestickselfies are by no. Erik kwakkel isnt a goodreads author, but he does have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from his feed. Erik kwakkel books before print this beautifully illustrated book provides an accessible introduction to the medieval manuscript and what it can tell us about the world in which it was made and used. Bringing into conversation several kinds of scholarship on medieval authorship. Manuscript expert and book historian erik kwakkel has written books before print as a handbook for students in their lectures on medieval books. Books before print explores how manuscripts can act as a vibrant and versatile tool to understand the deep historical roots of human interaction with written information. Unusual things found in medieval manuscripts historyextra.
Its amazing to think that people doodled in medieval times in a similar way to how they doodle today, said erik kwakkel, a book historian at leiden university, holland. Erik kwakkel is a book historian and lecturer at leiden university. Book historian erik kwakkel uncovers the past through books feb. Ronda del boccio is an awardwinning and bestselling author of both fiction and nonfiction. Erik kwakkel, studies in medieval and renaissance book culture leiden. On an average day week, month, year the book historian will not encounter books like the ones seen here. Filipovic sent the photo to fellow historian erik kwakkel via twitter in september 2012, but it wasnt until earlier this year that the paw prints saw a flurry of reblogging, retweeting, and sharing. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel documents the curious. Historian discovers 800 year old doodles in old books. Oct 16, 2018 medieval book historian erik kwakkel points, for example, to the dosados back to back binding of the 16th and 17th centuries, which made for books like siamese twins in that they present two different entities joined at their backs. Read all of the posts by erik kwakkel on medievalbooks. Medieval script reveals not only what the author wrote, but when and where the book was made.
For the past few years, medieval book historian erik kwakkel has been pouring through some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts at leiden university, the netherlands, as part of his ongoing research on pen trials. Onfim, who was six or seven at the time, wrote in old novgorodian. If this book is not a staple of book history curricula within the next few years, i shall be astonished. The current focus on the theme of authorship in medieval and early modern studies reopens questions of poetic agency and intent.
Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs 800yearold doodles in some of the worlds oldest books email this blogthis. What precisely did scribes, readers, booksellers and librarians scribble continue reading. Erik kwakkel joins ubc ischool university of british. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading author, reader, book. Kwakkel has also been investigating how bookmakers found creative so. Books before print medieval media and culture kwakkel, erik on. I just came across an article on colossal a very cool site, by the way, so be sure to follow it about some work being done by erik kwakkel, a manuscript historian at leiden university.
His inaugural lecture on 15 may will focus mainly on the section closest to his heart. Change and development in the medieval book leiden university. Another example of manuscript fragments in one of leiden universitys books. For the past few years, medieval book historian erik kwakkel has been poring over some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts at leiden university, the netherlands, as part of his ongoing research on pen trials. If this book is not a staple of book history curricula within the next few years. Daniele is joined by professor erik kwakkel from the university of briti. Historian erik kwakkel discovered this simple truth while pouring over some of the worlds oldest books and manuscripts at leiden university, the netherlands. Erik kwakkel confesses his love of medieval books leiden. I encountered scribe doodles almost every day as i read medieval books, professor erik kwakkel, a book historian at leiden university in holland, tells as it happens host carol off. While these five examples showcase the exceptional in medieval manuscript culture, one ought to keep in mind that the items stand out because the majority of medieval books do not look like this. Kwakkel is to be applauded for what he has achieved, but then he always is at his very best when enthusing others about the myriad surprises that medieval manuscripts can reveal. But medieval book historian erik kwakkel, in documenting his various findings on his blog, has discovered that people in medieval times treated their books much the way we do today.
His blog brings the world of medieval manuscripts to life in a wonderful way. For the latter, see also see erik kwakkel, medieval bargain books, medievalbooks. Doodles in medieval manuscripts a scholarly skater. Historian tracks down the worlds oldest book doodles. Erik kwakkel is professor in the history of the book at the school of information, the university of british columbia. Jan 7, 2020 medieval book historian at the university of british columbia, vancouver. Jul 26, 2016 you can find out more about medieval books on erik kwakkels medieval books. Pen trials are small sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe woul. Not because it means that my research of a particular manuscript is almost completed, but because the last page often provides information pertaining to the origins of the object information not normally found elsewhere in the manuscript. Erik kwakkel, medieval doodles, in jessica firpi and wendy a. He has a popular blog where he shows rare books and fascinating book related antiquities. I have erik kwakkel s medieval books to thank for this fascinating insight into the world of medieval spam. Kwakkel, who will be teaching history of the book in the upcoming academic year.
Erik kwakkel born 28 may 1970, meppel is a dutch scholar who specializes in medieval manuscripts, paleography, and codicology. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs. Drawings by children in a fourteenthcentury manuscript, ljs ms. Medieval book historian at the university of british columbia, vancouver. Medieval books in leather and other materials is that a body, or a book. Many of these doodles were quite whimsical, erik kwakkel, a professor of book history at the ischool at the university of british columbia notes. Nov 07, 2014 another day, another collection of fascinating discoveries from medieval book historian erik kwakkel who previously introduced the internet to his observations on the history of doodles, color theory, and rare forms of bookbinding. The european book in the twelfth century cambridge studies in medieval literature kwakkel, erik, thomson, rodney on. For the book historian christmas is a great season. Buy erik kwakkel ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. Jun 06, 2016 xrays reveal hidden library on the spines of early books. It means that a lot of socalled annunciation scenes make their rounds on social media, the biblical story in which the angel gabriel announces to mary that she will give birth to gods son, christ. There is something very attractive about these scenes for lovers of medieval books.
Book historian documents bored scribes scribbles in 1,000. Classical manuscripts made from parchment waste in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, in manuscripts of the latin classics 8001200, ed. Learn about the process of making manuscripts, including why medieval scribes made doodles in their works. He left his notes and homework exercises scratched in soft birch bark beresta which was preserved in the clay soil of novgorod. I am a professor at the ischool library, archival and information studies at the university of british columbia, vancouver, where i teach and conduct research on the history of the book. Erik kwakkel erik kwakkel is book historian and professor at the school of library, archival and information studies at the university of british columbia, vancouver. Episode 2 of the medieval podcast how were books made and used in the middle ages. This beautifully illustrated book provides an accessible introduction to the medieval manuscript and what it can tell us about the world in which it was made and used. Learn about the process of making manuscripts, including why medieval. Author, reader, book medieval authorship in theory and.
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