The struggle for the free space. Blind printing on Czech 16th century bookbindings according to the NUSK database and the Strahov Library in Prague
Abstract
This publication stands at the boundary between book culture and the history of art. It explores blind printing decorative concepts on 16th century book bindings of Czech origin.
It is demonstrated that the approach of a bookbinding workshop and the approach to decoration on the part of the client were influenced by the selection of tools available (stamp, roller, plate), by their mentality, and by their social, financial and educational background. Since Czech society, Utraquist by nature, was unable for a long time to rid itself of its dependence on its late medieval lifestyle, an accompanying feature of these decorative concepts was the tension between the fear of emptiness (horror vacui) and the free space.
From this new finding arise the questions of to what extent Czech blind printing of the 16th century was pro-German and whether it is appropriate to apply Renaissance criteria when evaluating it. The publication is accompanied by full indexes and approximately 540 colour photographs and illustrations.