Presentation

Hebrew book production (including material making, book transmission and text circulation) was at the core of Jewish cultural history during the Middle Ages and Early Modernity. This conference will investigate issues in the patronage, production, circulation and consumption of Hebrew books in the Western Mediterranean during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Times (13th to 16th Centuries).

How did reading practices affect on the material making of codices and, later on, of printed books? To what extend did the demands of patronage foster or constrain areas of intellectual and artistic engagement? What role did voluntary or forced mobility play in book circulation and library building? In what ways did the printed book have an effect on manuscript production and text transmission in late 15th and early 16th centuries?

The interest of this conference is twofold: the material production of books in interacting contexts and the role of owners and readers in both book circulation and text transmission. In exploring these questions, the participants will address the adoption of book-making techniques across cultural boundaries, the effect of mobility in book production and work selection in Italy and Northern Africa, the impact of printing in book acquisition, and the interest in buying, reading, or collecting Hebrew books in 15th century Iberia and beyond.