UI Libraries Special Collections & Archives — That’s not a shadow on the page. It’s evidence...

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See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t wanna

That’s not a shadow on the page. It’s evidence that this book was on display at some point in its history. 

We can guess that this book was displayed open to this foldout illustration of a ship on the Elbe river based on the preferential opening, which can be seen in the gutter between the pages and in the textblock in the last photo, and bbased on the sooty pages.

Evidently, the foldout was left folded up, because the soot (perhaps from a fireplace or gas lamps) is only on the surfaces exposed when it is in this state, and the middle of the images is much brighter.

This is also a great example of an intaglio print that was designed to create an illusion of a complete image when folded. It’s nearly seamless–the top left sail didn’t quite match up, but this still would have taken great skill.

-John

xDD801 .E3 H4

Hessel, Peter. Hertzfliessende Betrachtungen Von Dem Elbe-Strom, Zur Dankbarkeit Gegen Gott Geschöpffet, Darneben Allen Schiff-Leuten Zu Einer Geistlicher Zeit-Vertreibung Vermacht; Auch Einem Jeden Christen in Diesem Angst-Meer Zu Gute Auffgesetzet. Altona: Gedruckt Bey V. De Leeu, in Verlegung Des Autoris, 1675.

bookhistory printing history intaglio elbe rare books fifield

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