Pen trials are small sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe would make while testing the ink flow of a pen. Oct 03, 2014 a new medieval book blog posted on october 3, 2014 by devilofhistory via this is colossal, the news that medievalist and book historian erik kwakkel has a new blog, medievalbooks, showcasing many of the unusual manuscripts hes examined and what they tell us about the creation and use of medieval texts. As odd as this may sound, as a medieval book historian i see such parallels with modern concepts all the time. Nov 19, 2014 medieval book historian at the university of british columbia, vancouver. The book was authored by boogert in 1692, and few dutch scholars appear to have known about it previously. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Change and development in the medieval book leiden university press, 2012.
Another initial letter in the same manuscript provides a bit of history about its. Researcher uncovers medieval monks\ unique doodles that. Erik kwakkel is book historian and professor at the school of library, archival and information studies at the university of british columbia, vancouver. Over 300 years ago, an artist created and documented every. The ingenuity and beauty of creative parchment repair in. Bibliophilia on in 2020 medieval books, medieval art. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel drew attention to this handwritten encyclopedia, which was discovered by kwakkel through exploration of a french database, via his tumblr blog. This amazing 16th century book can be opened and read in. Sadly, theres only a single copy of the book known to exist, so probably only a couple of the privileged few got to be educated by it.
Pen trials are small sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe would make while testing the ink flow of a pen or quill. Jun 19, 2016 in fact, old manuscript pages were frequently recycled in a variety of ways. Review of manuscripts of the latin classics 8001200, ed. Last week i blogged about tiny pieces of parchment, paper birch bark, and wood that were filled with short messages from individuals in antiquity and the middle ages check out texting in medieval times. The national library of francethe blog of medieval book historian erik kwakkel is one of the hidden gems of the internet, which is why i interviewed him 3 weeks ago. Mar 27, 2017 erik kwakkel is a dutch book historian at leiden university who searches for the secret meanings of doodles and scribbles in medieval manuscripts. Presuming you do and given your presumable status as an open culture reader, it strikes me as a safe bet know that kwakkel doesnt maintain just any old images of.
It is edited by the medieval book historian erik kwakkel and presents one of the outcomes of his nowvidi. 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. My recent posts on spam, gps and selfies in medieval times are good examples of that. Erik kwakkel, studies in medieval and renaissance book culture leiden. Erik kwakkel confesses his love of medieval books 09 may 2017.
Historian discovers 800 year old doodles in old books some human behavior never change, such as the urge to doodle in the margin of a book. For the latter, see also see erik kwakkel, medieval bargain books, medievalbooks. Medieval book historian at the university of british columbia, vancouver. May 07, 2014 the book caught the eye of erik kwakkel, a medieval book historian from the netherlands. Captured in the materiality of manuscripts are the data enabling us to make sense of the preferences and habits of the individuals who made up medieval society. Erik kwakkel confesses his love of medieval books leiden. Onfim, who was six or seven at the time, wrote in old novgorodian. 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 is a historian of the medieval book and occupies the scaliger chair at leiden university. Which historians have the most followers on twitter. Dr erik kwakkel, a medieval book historian at leiden university, told the observer. He has a popular blog where he shows rare books and fascinating bookrelated antiquities. Colour the man of a million medieval manuscripts an interview with erik kwakkel, a leading historian in the field of medieval manuscripts.
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 inaugural lecture on 15 may will focus mainly on. The european book in the twelfth century edited by erik. The ingenuity and beauty of creative parchment repair in medieval books 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. In fact, old manuscript pages were frequently recycled in a variety of ways. Though he notes that someone else is currently conducting a phd study on the 17th century publication, to be completed in 2015 at the university of amsterdam.
The snippets from a soldiers request for more beer to a dukes shopping list. What precisely did scribes, readers, booksellers and librarians scribble continue reading. The long twelfth century 10751225 was an era of seminal importance in the development of the book in medieval europe and marked a high point in its construction and decoration. Presuming you do and given your presumable status as an open culture reader, it strikes me as a safe bet know. Historian erik kwakkel discovered this simple truth wh. Unofficial scribes of the kingdom of gleann abhann public. Erik kwakkel is medieval book historian and teaches book and digital media studies. Erik kwakkel, medieval doodles, in jessica firpi and wendy a.
This is what an encyclopedia of paint colors looked like. Erik kwakkel ubc ischool university of british columbia. This is what an encyclopedia of paint colors looked like 300. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs 800. His inaugural lecture on 15 may will focus mainly on the section closest to his heart. Erik kwakkel book of kells, medieval books, illuminated.
Erik kwakkel is a dutch book historian at leiden university who searches for the secret meanings of doodles and scribbles in medieval manuscripts. Hes an expert on manuscripts, which is how he was able to dig up this funny image. Gold mine of cheeky medieval doodles show ancestors just. Daniele is joined by professor erik kwakkel from the university of briti. Hes a medieval european book historian and a professor at leiden university in the netherlands. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel was the one who got the chance to examine the book, and as he translated part of the introduction, he concluded that the color book was intended as an educational guide. With short chapters grouped under thematic headings, books before. Ripley entertainment, 2016, 198 interview for wordpress. Books in the middle ages with erik kwakkel youtube. It shows reynard the fox, a trickster character in medieval literature, racing tybalt, the prince of cats who was referenced in act 2. Bibliophilia on in 2020 medieval books, medieval art, book art. Leiden university book historian erik kwakkel describes his tumblr site as follows. He left his notes and homework exercises scratched in soft birch bark beresta which was preserved in the clay soil of novgorod. Author affiliation details are correct at time of print publication.
Via this is colossal, the news that medievalist and book historian erik kwakkel has a new blog, medievalbooks, showcasing many of the unusual manuscripts hes examined and what they tell us about the creation and use of medieval texts. This paperback presents six case studies of medieval manuscript copies of latin works that were composed between the first century bce and the fifth century ce. In over 700 pages of handwritten dutch, the author, who identifies himself as a. A medieval book historian in holland takes pride in discovering and sharing anomalies and unique drawings in ancient texts, including a collection of doodles created by scribes 700 years ago. Medieval manuscript shows a cat riding a horse neatorama. Review of erik kwakkels manuscripts of the latin classics.
This 300 year old book is a guide to every paint color imaginable. 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. 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. This comprehensive study takes the cultural changes that occurred during the twelfthcentury renaissance as its point of departure to provide an overview of. Book historian erik kwakkel uncovers the past through books feb. For the latter, see also see erik kwakkel, medieval bargain books.
Pen trials are small sketches, doodles, and practice strokes a medieval scribe woul. An interview with erik kwakkel recipes for a tudor dinner. He has a popular blog where he shows rare books and fascinating book related antiquities. Erik kwakkel, a book historian at leiden university, holland. University of british columbia, a rockstar of the book history world.
The paperback presents six case studies of medieval manuscript copies of latin works that were composed between the first century bce and the fifth century ce. This blog frequently highlights parallels between medieval and modern technology and media. The european book in the twelfth century edited by erik kwakkel. Jun 04, 2016 dr erik kwakkel, a medieval book historian at leiden university, told the observer. Henrike lahnemann has researched the use of manuscript fragments to line dresses, and medieval book historian erik. Continental scribes in rochester cathedral priory, 10751150, in writing in context. Erik kwakkel born 28 may 1970, meppel is a dutch scholar who specializes in medieval. The medieval magazine october 5, 2015 top 10 most beautiful medieval. Hes the medieval book historian from the netherlands leiden university who brought us the delightfully distracted and cheeky doodles that medieval students. Dr erik kwakkel of leiden university publishes medieval eye candy on his tumblr account and twitter page, and said that the monks doodles are the most. Ancient textbook doodles prove school has been boring for. Books before print erik kwakkel haftad 9781942401629.
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 ingenuity and beauty of creative parchment repair in medieval books 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. It is edited by the medieval book historian erik kwakkel and presents one of the outcomes of his nowvidi project, turning over a new leaf 20102015. Medieval media cultures by erik kwakkel books before print. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs 800yearold doodles in some of the worlds oldest 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. The leidenbased, medieval book historian erik kwakkel posted notice of this 1692 manuscript at his blog, which was then picked up by colossal and gizmodo. We have medieval book historian erik kwakkel to thank for bringing the book to the internets attention. 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. It must be amazing to view such tangible icons of history daily. For the past few years, medieval book historian erik kwakkel has been. While many medieval historians often research using books and manuscripts, you are one of. Medieval book historian erik kwakkel discovers and catalogs 800 year old doodles in some of the worlds oldest books students with pointy noses. It is edited by the medieval book historian erik kwakkel who argues in his introduction 21 that, as material objects, these codices form a distinct group, since the latin classics of both the roman republic 50927 bce and the roman empire 27 bce295 ce were taught in the schools of northern europe. Today we have kindles to save us from lugging heavy books around, but how did avid readers cope back in the 16th century.
Some revealing new images of an antique book that can be read six different ways show how germans in the 1500s managed to condense their reading material. Surrounded by used books and with a pen knife in their hand, makers of medieval books were bound to do some damage. I am a professor at the ischool library, archival and information studies where i teach and conduct research on the history of the book. Dec 15, 2014 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. The book caught the eye of erik kwakkel, a medieval book historian from the netherlands.
875 742 846 222 697 463 321 804 1170 1038 392 1101 1018 271 1472 878 137 510 1283 272 1228 1407 561 1404 692 1274 1321 1438 768 849 944 781 460 1479 220 1271 170