Online for a short spin and continuing thoughts on internet

But then again, as far as communication goes, there is nothing that compares to internet. Having finally found a possibility to log into my email today, I was happily surprised to find an email passed on to me by my U.v.A. mentor Paul Dijstelberge, from Ms Coldiron (Florida University), concerning a common interest in 16th century Lyon printing. I look forward to hearing more details and will answer her mail subito indeed, late as I am due to NO INTERNET! In his accompanying mail P.D. goes into the internet thing: ' The ph-D and John's work have the internet in common with its direct possibilities of interacting. I have always been a fan of the image of scholarship as a Mount Purgatory where one spends a long time thinking in loneliness, gathering knowledge and endlessly rehashing it. I still think that solitary reading and thinking is of the greatest importance - but the intelligence of the comments on ilovetypography have brought a profound change in my ideas on the genesis of (my) scholarship. Meeting people on the net like this is not the same as having weekly discussions with collegues or students. The distance is important, also the casual kindness of strangers who may turn out to be your best friends.' With these thoughts he nicely balances important aspects of modern scholarship. I would like to add that (for me) writing produces clearer thoughts than would be possible in a conversation. This also in favour of internet as opposed to the discussions with collegues and students mentioned by P.D.

It seems there is a problem with posting reactions on this blog. Will try to sort out why when back in the world of internet, probably mid next week.

26-03-2010
More thinking than reading and also more than a week without internet. Has this been a handicap? I have not been able to check the spelling of my blog-entries, but bringing a dictionary would also have done the trick, and now and then it would have been handy to look something up on the web, but nothing that could not wait. This internet-less period has made me realize what a lot of time I usually spend surfing from one site to another and now I ask myself what is time not spent on the internet? What did I miss? How important is internet for research, for thinking, for following a train of thought? Or does it actually hinder the line of thinking? For now I lean towards the latter. Going from one site to another thoughts are broken off, sometimes never to be continued. During the past years, researching for an antiquarian bookdealer, internet was my most important source. In the Fall of 2009, preparing the essay on bookbindings, my mind opened up to to the enormous world of printed reference works. Even outdated publicatons can provide information not found elsewhere. The authority of the author is essential.

22-03-2010

Framework

Part I
History of Lyonese printing 1470-1600. In relation to the rest of Europe/Low Lands.
Theory on (16th century) ownership marks, marginalia and reception. The critics.
Some temporary research questions:
    ⁃    How does the collection in the U.v.A. library relate to the 16th century Lyonese book production? Sorted by genre: texts from antiquity, contemporary texts, religious texts etc.
    ⁃    Is the effect of the death of Henri II reflected in Lyonese printing/the U.v.A. corpus? Is there a change in the texts printed after 1559? Genre? Quantity?
    ⁃    Ownership marks - what part of the corpus - which genres - what kind of marks - contemporary/later - identification? What conclusions can be drawn?
    ⁃    Marginalia -  what part of the corpus - which genres - what kind of marginalia - contemporary/later - signed/dated? What conclusions can be drawn?
    ⁃    ...
Case study(ies) - ownership marks/marginalia - provenance/reception.

Part II
Descriptions of the U.v.A. titles: author - title - printer - date - binding - U.v.A. call number - inventory/pictures of ownership marks and/or marginalia - when, from whom, at what cost acquired by the U.v.A.
Indexes(?) alphabetical: author - title -  printer - ownership marks - marginalia.
Appendixes(?):
    ⁃    Figure: author - title - printer - date - ownership marks - marginalia.
    ⁃    Figure: timeline.

21-03-2010

Reception!
The first day of Spring?! Brrrr it feels like -10 outside (and hardly less inside for that matter, but that's a different story). Cloudy and sunny, but also a cold, cold wind, probably flying in from the Arctic.
And also: the EUREKA moment! It has/must have been staring me in the eyes for some time now, but even so, all of a sudden: RECEPTION. Of course! Actually pretty dim not to have thought in this line earlier, as the essay on bookbindings, in which ten packages of sheets of paper printed in Lyon in the 16th century are matched to their binder or (probably first) owner, makes use of SOME of the marginalia and ownership marks on the bindings or inside the books. Why not use that as a starting point for a fully fledged research project? And move the focus from provenance into some aspect of reception.
Take the books printed in Lyon between 1487 and 1600 in possession of U.v.A. Special Collections. If 1559 is a special date due to the death of Henri II and the ensuing religious quarrels that subsequently stood in the way of further humanist developement, it seems that culture would not simply have faded away. The humanist influence on education would have continued. Depending upon the amount of books in the corpus of the U.v.A., 1600 still seems a fitting end-date.

20-03-2010

Saturday afternoon shopping in the local bookstore in Clamecy. Not an English book in sight, but found exactly what I need to brush up my not very substantial knowledge of French history in A. Jouanna's La France de la Renaissance. An interpretative study with a very useful Chronologie starting in 1470 through 1559, the year Henri II was accidently mortally wounded by a lancet during courtly games with the Scottish Gabriel de Montgomery. With his death a period of enlightenment came to an end. A period which had only lasted for several decennia, during which an unparallelled level of artistic, literary and philosophical output was realized. All the more reason for marginalia in books printed during those years to be of interest. Jouanna's enthousiasm pleases me. Flipping through the pages I recognize names of Lyonese printers and writers, such as Etienne Dolet and Claude d'Espence, which I encountered when writing the essay on bookbindings, but which up until now did not mean much more to me than a name on a title page. I suspect Jouanna will give me a framework for their activities.

19-03-2010

What is marginalia in a printed text? Disturbance of a carefully arranged lay-out? Chaotic? Does this influence meta-thoughts and -writing? Maybe a certain degree of chaos goes with the subject? I must watch out for that, structure is important.

Back to Jackson's Marginalia. The first chapters on history and motives for marginalia bring up some interesting questions. I.e. the function of marginalia in a study by Saenger & Heinlen that reveals that notes in early printed books may actually be manuscript readers' aids supplied by the printer. (Saenger & Heinlen in: S.Hindman (Ed.) Printing the Written Word. The Social History of Books, circa 1450-1520. Ithaca: 1991. p.225-58.) I must look that up.

In Chapter Seven: 'Poetics', Jackson lists the following properties (she calls them requirements) of marginalia. Are they also relevant for annotations in 16th century books? For instance what to do about/with illegibility?

    ⁃    legibility - shorthand - (elaborate) notes
    ⁃    relevance
    ⁃    measure of truth/honesty of the readers notes
    ⁃    (certified) expertise of the content, authority of the annotator
    ⁃    signed and/or dated

Although Jackson's case studies concentrate on the English book production from 1700-2000, which is a somewhat later period than the one I am interested in, the 'Marginalia Lady' does help my thinking process with usable definitions of forms of marginalia from which I can start working and of course the endnotes and bibliography for further reading. The case studies maybe for reference when and if doing a case study of my own.

'What' questions

Yesterday a friend reminded me that it's the 'what' questions that can clarify matters because 'what' is a question to which a specific answer is required. 'Why' questions evoke a broad response which hinders getting into the heart of the matter.

I'm off to a remote village in the Bourgogne. No internet. Just books and 'what' questions. 

Why ownership marks and marginalia?

This of course is the key question which, when eventually answered, should lead to defining the research proposal.

For now some examples of ownership marks and marginalia found on and in books printed in Lyon when doing some research for an essay earlier this year.

Ownership mark on both covers of binding: 
the coat of arms of Willem van Oranje.

La cyropedie de Xenophon, A Lion: par Ian de Tovrnes, 1555. 
U.v.A. call number OTM: Band 1 A 18.

Gilt ownership stamp on back cover of binding.

Problemata divi Thomae Aquinatis. [Colophon]: Impresse Lugduni impensis honorati viri Jacobi.q Francisci de Giunta [..] in edibus Jacobi myt Calchographi [1520].
U.v.A. call number OTM: OK 62 9772.

 Ownership stamp of 16th century Dutch collector Jacob Buyck.
Homiliarvm F. Henrici Helmesii. Lugdvni: apvd Carolvm Pesnot, 1575. 3 vols. U.v.A. call number UBM: 317 G 1/2/3.
 

 Famous 16th century bibliophile's name on front paste-down: Marcus Fugger.

Traicte contre l'erreur vieil et renovvelle des predestinez. Par M. Claude d'Espence. A Lyon: par Iean de Tovrnes, 1548. Bound with two other titles printed in Paris. 

U.v.A. call number OTM: Band 1 H 18.

 Ex libris with monogram on front paste down.

Divini Platonis opervm a Marsilio Ficino tralatorvm, tomvs qvartvs. Lugdvni: apvd Ioan. Tornaesivm, 1550. 
U.v.A. call number OTM: Band 2 D 13.

Title page with the names of two owners in contemporary (?) handwriting.

C. Ivlii Caesaris Commentarii. 
Lugdvni: Apud Steph. Doletum, 1543. 
U.v.A. call number OTM: Band 3 A 1.

 

The same title underlined and annotated throughout.

 

Commentary in contemporary handwriting dated 1585 on verso of A 1.

Polydori Vergilii Vrbinatis de rervm inventoribvs libri octo.
Lvgdvni: apvd Ioan. Tornaesivm, et Gvl. Gaseivm, 1558.
U.v.A. call number OTM: K 61-1313.

 What seems at first sight to be a eulogy to Venus signed by Ioannes Ricius (active ca. 1570-80) on recto and verso of n 4 and on recto of the last free endpaper of the third book. 

Clarissimi viri D. Andreae Alciati Emblematvm libri duo, Lvgdvni: Apud Ioan. Tornaesium, & Gulielmum Gazeium, 1554. bound with: Andreae Alciati Emblemata svccincta commentariola, Sebast. Stockhamero Germano autore. Lvgdvni: Apud Ioannem Tornaesium, & Gul. Gazeium, 1556.

bound with: Iacobi San Nazarii Opera omnia. Apvd Seb. Gryphivm Lvgdvni: 1549.
U.v.A. call number OTM: OK 62 8977.

Some temporary answers

The answer to 'why books' seems evident. With the invention of printing books have become the essence of our cultural existence. Since cave men's iconic drawings on the walls of their dwellings, pictures and letters have been the core of human communication culminating in the first printing of  books mid 15th century. I would not go so far as to say that printed matter is the essence of being human but language definitely sets us apart from all other earthly organisms and has been essential not only for our cultural and intellectual developement but also for our material growth. Language converted into printed matter has passed on knowledge acquired through the centuries. It can be argued that illiterate tribes in remote places are of course also human and that their dependency on the oral tradition does not make them less developed. It can be argued that anno 2010 the book as format is not essential for passing on culture and knowledge. However this was the case in past centuries which makes books an emminently useful source for research on cultural and intellectual transferrance. 

Why focus research on books printed in Lyon?
16th century Lyon was affluent, industrious, cosmopolitan and, after Paris, the most important cultural city in Renaissance France. Lyon was also one of the most influential intellectual centers of Europe which is reflected in the book production of the Lyonnese printers who were surrounded by the humanist crème de la crème, both authors and customers. Their output was prolific. J.Baudrier compiled a reference work of 12 volumes on the literary world of printing, bookselling, bookbinding and type-founders in Lyon alone. Alfred Cartier filled two reference volumes with titles solely printed by Jean de Tournes. A preliminary survey of the titles in the collection of the U.v.A. shows a scala of subjects which would have been of interest to the contemporary Humanist reader. The marginalia found in the books will be the basis of the research. The research question has yet to be formulated.

'Why 1487-1600?' The earliest title printed in Lyon in possession of the library is an undated copy of Albertus Magnus' Compendium theologicae veritatis printed ca.1487. Should an earlier uncatalogued title be found, then that will automatically be the new starting point. 1600 seems a natural limit to set. A quick scan reveals a corpus of 300-500 titles. A next limitation will probably be to include only books with marginalia. Depending on the outcome the 1600 limit could be pushed forward.

The 'why' questions.

Why books?
Why printed in Lyon?
Why specifically 1487-1600?
Why ownership marks and marginalia?

Curiosity driven research. I find myself longing to start disecting the Lyon books.

The corpus

Library of the University of Amsterdam.
Books printed in Lyon.
1487-1600
With ownership marks and/or annotations.

Publications on ownership marks/marginalia

The greater part of publications on marginalia seem to focus on the English heritage: Great Britain and U.S.A., with publications on French reading and collecting as runner-up.

H.J. Jackson's Marginalia (2001), 'aims to describe and illustrate the behavior of annotators in the English-speaking world during the past three centuries' (p.6) but also on physical features and theoretical issues on annotations which could be applicable to the Lyon books.

and of course many more, to be listed separately on the page 'Bibliography of Secondary Works'.

'Traces of use'

is de voorlopige titel van een onderzoek naar sporen van gebruik in een verzameling boeken gedrukt in Lyon tussen 1473 en 1600. Het betreft een deelverzameling van Bijzondere Collecties van de Universiteit van Amsterdam. Om hoeveel boeken het gaat is nog niet duidelijk. De online catalogus van de bibliotheek geeft 20 tot 600 vermeldingen op de zoektermen 'Lyon', 'Lyons' en 'Lugduni' en verder is er een ouderwetse kaartenbak waarin misschien nog wel titels staan die nog niet in de U.v.A. online catalogus zijn opgenomen.

Waarom dit onderzoek?
Een boek zonder sporen van gebruik is als een koffietafelboek. Mooi om naar te kijken, maar zonder ziel. Behalve een mening is dit ook de aanzet om nauwkeurig te kijken naar de diverse vormen van sporen van gebruik, en daarbij te proberen te bepalen waarom deze van toegevoegde waarde zouden zijn.

Werkwijze
De resultaten van het onderzoek zullen in het Engels worden geschreven, dus ook verder deze blog. Zo raak ik van 'sporen van gebruik' af dat in het Nederlands iets beschadigder klinkt dan het Engelse 'traces of use', a concept used by antiquarian bookdealers to warn the potential buyer that the book is not in mint condition.

Definition of 'traces of use'
Ownership and reading marks. Stamped on bindings and manuscript in books. Coats of arms, portraits or other illustrations; book-labels; ownership stamps; shelf marks; inventory numbers; inscriptions in book; annotations, also called marginalia.
Marginalia: from the Latin marginale = in the margin, coined in English by Coleridge when publishing some marginalia of his own. (Jackson 2001, p.13)
Adversaria (obsolete): a collection of notes and commentaries.

To do
Research of existing publications on marginalia.
Make an inventory of the actual extent of the collection of books printed in Lyon 1473-1600 in possession of the U.v.A. library.
Make choices and set limits on the corpus.
Definition of research proposal.