Ieva Rusteikaitė
Bindings of Books in Vilnius University Library from Second Half of the 16th century to the First half of the 17th Century: Structural Features, Typology and Tradition
In search of more precise data on the nature of local bookbinding, this study aims to determine the technological and decorative features of books printed in Vilnius in the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century, as well as those belonging to the old Vilnius Jesuit Academy library collection. Using comparative analysis, these historical artefacts are examined with the understanding that a handmade binding is not just a book cover, but also a rather complex three-dimensional book structure. Therefore, attention is focused on all stages applied in handmade bookbinding, illustrating the work of past craftsmen. The knowledge provided by written sources, combined with the material aspects of surviving artefacts, allows for a much broader picture than previously held about one of the groups of craftsmen operating in Vilnius in the early modern period. The formal nuances of the artefacts highlighted during the study not only allow for a clearer definition of the nature of the local bookbinding tradition or expand knowledge about the circumstances of creation and use of particular prints, but also facilitate the search for artefacts attributable to this tradition in the broader context of European documentary heritage.
Iliustration: Spines of books printed in 16th century Vilnius (Ieva Rusteikaitė, 2023)
