Woodcuts as Reading Guides : How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550) / Andrea Leerdam.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Leerdam, Andrea van, Author.

Series:

Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis van de Nederlandse boekhandel

Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis van de Nederlandse boekhandel ; 23

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Medical illustration--16th century.

Medicine, Popular--Early works to 1800.

Wood-engraving, Dutch.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (480 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam : Amsterdam University Press, [2023]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

In the first half of the sixteenth century, the Low Countries saw the rise of a lively market for practical and instructive books that targeted non-specialist readers. This study shows how woodcuts in vernacular books on medicine and astrology fulfilled important rhetorical functions in knowledge communication. These images guided readers' perceptions of the organisation, visualisation, and reliability of knowledge. Andrea van Leerdam uncovers the assumptions and intentions of book producers to which images testify, and shows how actual readers engaged with these illustrated books. Drawing on insights from the field of information design studies, she scrutinises the books' material characteristics, including their lay-outs and traces of use, to shed light on the habits and interests of early modern readers. She situates these works in a culture where medicine and astrology were closely interwoven in daily life and where both book producers and readers were exploring the potential of images.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgements

Note to the Reader

Abbreviations

Codes Used for Examined Editions and Copies

Introduction

Chapter 1. Bodies of Knowledge Dutch Medical-Astrological Books between 1500-1550

Chapter 2. Organising Knowledge Conceptualisations and Visual Strategies

Chapter 3. Visualising Knowledge The Perceived Epistemic Significance of Images

Chapter 4. Reliable Knowledge Invoking Trust through Authority and Playfulness

Chapter 5. Customising Knowledge Readers' Engagement with Illustrated Books

Conclusion

Appendices

Bibliography

List of Figures

List of Tables

Index of Names and Works

Notes:

This eBook is made available Open Access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0https://www.aup.nl/en/publish/open-access

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 09. Dez 2023)

ISBN:

1-04-078350-3

90-485-6026-8

OCLC:

1404049927