During the 17th century, the book industry of the Dutch Republic was blooming. This business did not focus purely on the province of Holland however. In this thesis, the printing work of the...Show moreDuring the 17th century, the book industry of the Dutch Republic was blooming. This business did not focus purely on the province of Holland however. In this thesis, the printing work of the Frisian printer Samuel van Haringhouck is discussed. Van Haringhouck was active in the city of Bolsward for almost 30 years. This thesis focuses on the way Van Haringhouck combined both local, national and international influences in his work and how he tried to sell his work to an audience outside of Friesland.Show less
Botany saw numerous publications in Europe during the 16th – 17th centuries, most of which contained illustrations. Another visual aspect of these books which has received less study is the...Show moreBotany saw numerous publications in Europe during the 16th – 17th centuries, most of which contained illustrations. Another visual aspect of these books which has received less study is the frontispiece. This essay provides a case study on the two frontispieces for the English work known as "The Herball" (1597, 1633). This study investigates the visual thinking of early modern Europe and the relationship between art and science during this period. The central question to be answered during this research is: What can the 1597 and 1633 frontispieces for John Gerard’s "The Herball" tell us about the visual understanding of botany in the late 16th and early 17th century England?Show less
This thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based...Show moreThis thesis examines the buying behaviour of Dutch women during the eighteenth century and determines whether a change can be detected in the kinds of works that women bought. The research is based on the female customers that came to Luchtmans, an academic bookshop in Leiden, and thus the main source of this study is the extensive archive that the firm has left behind. At the start of the eighteenth century, a wealthy mother primarily visited the shop to purchase school books for her young children. However, as the century progressed, an increasing number of unmarried women came to buy newspapers and novels, as they had more freedom to pursue their own interests. Although these women were certainly not representative of the general female population in Leiden, an interesting shift presented itself when comparing women from two time periods in the eighteenth century.Show less
This thesis attempts to trace the history of a century of book art: from Futurism to the digital era. It brings to attention relevant examples of art works and their creators, proving that the...Show moreThis thesis attempts to trace the history of a century of book art: from Futurism to the digital era. It brings to attention relevant examples of art works and their creators, proving that the evolution of the book-object has now reached another revolutionary point, similar to the one that allowed the Futurist movement to flourish. The thesis finds its inherent relevance in the sense of emergency that today surrounds both book studies and the paper book. Furthermore, it covers a less explored niche, as it refers only in passing to artists’ books. This paper wishes to shed light on the alternative life of the printed books – forgotten, discarded, abandoned – and, ultimately, to prove that contemporary book art is mostly a product of the insecurities of the digital medium. In focusing on the visual and intellectual reinterpretation of the book, it will ultimately reflects upon the future of the book this age of digital uncertainty.Show less