1st Edition
Woodcuts as Reading Guides How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550)
By Andrea van Leerdam
Copyright 2024
480 Pages
by
Amsterdam University Press
480 Pages
by
Amsterdam University Press
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... Read more
Acknowledgements, Note to the reader, Abbreviations, Codes used for examined editions and copies, Introduction, 1. Bodies of Knowledge: Dutch Medical-Astrological Books between 1500-1550, 2. Organising Knowledge: Conceptualisations and Visual Strategies, 3. Knowledge Tools: The Perceived Epistemic Significance of Images, 4. Reliable Knowledge: Invoking Trust through Authority and Playfulness, 5. Customising Knowledge: Readers' Engagement with Illustrated Books, Conclusion, Appendices, Bibliography, List of figures, List of tables, Index of names and works
Biography
Andrea van Leerdam is curator of rare books at Utrecht University Library. She holds a PhD in book history from the same university. She also worked for ten years as a humanities communications advisor.
