Meet the #Streusandbüchse (pounce pot), a plain artifact found on #earlymodern writing desks in Europe, next to the more famous ink pots and quills and papers. Filled with sand or pounce, it was mainly used to dry the ink after writing. The print featuring the item is from the 1680s.
That's how most of #earlymodern printed books were offered and consumed: unbound, likely not stab-stitched, usually just slightly folded.
Say hello to the world of quartos and octavos, small prints, cheap prints, #Flugpublizistik, street literature, etc. Forget about bound books and libraries - this was the most typical way of reading the printed words and images in Europe.
Although it is already Friday, we do not want to conclude this week without introducing another #emdiplomacy#handbook chapter.
The next author to enter the stage is Maria Petrova who is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of World History at the Russian Academy of Sciences:
Having published broadly on Russian #diplomacy towards Austria and the Holy Roman Empire, Petrova is one of the leading experts in the field. See e.g. her study on the appearance of Russian #diplomats at the Imperial Diet in Regensburg (2/4)
1549 is considered the foundation date of the Russian foreign office, but until the 18th century Russian tsars preferred to permanent diplomatic representatives abroad. Major reforms were only introduced under the reign of Tsar Peter I.
However, a change in attitude towards foreign #diplomats already followed the dynastical change in the 1610s: restrictions were eased. Moreover, the tsar began to welcome permanent representatives from other territories and to establish permanent diplomats himself. (3/4)
By intensifying interaction with other #courts and rulers, Russian #diplomats became cultural brokers who contributed to the transfer of people, objects and ideas from Europe to Russia.
Petrova argues that the introduction of the European diplomatic rank system and ceremonial was aimed more at demonstrating the superiority of Russian rulers than at creating equal relations with other powers. (4/4)
"an impressive achievement, covers a wide range..strongly recommended."- Paul Joannides, Cambridge U
"...beautifully shot, illuminating on the painter’s relationships w/ contemporary artists, his studio & on his relations with clients." - Jane Stevenson, SRF, U of Oxford
Another excellent review of RAPHAEL: A PORTRAIT: “Sheds essential light on one of history’s greatest artists. Meticulously researched while there’s much to enjoy for even the dilettante..a thing of splendour"
Details: https://ideasroadshow.com/raphael/
After the enormous #landslide of 1618 in #Piuro (then a city within the Three Leagues, Raetia) that wiped out the city and killed thousands, a #Zurich based printer came up with this idea: using a liftable flap. The flap offers a before and after scenario; a reading engagement with the catastrophe. The printed flap is the #mudslide.
But she is not alone! With David Gehring at University of Notthingham, who is an expert on #earlymodern#British#history, she found the perfect partner in writing. Gehring’s special interest on #Elizabethan#England's relations with the Protestant territories of the #HolyRomanEmpire and #Denmark is also reflected in his publications:
In their article, Freyer and Gehring provide us with an overview over how #English and #British#emdiplomacy developed from the 16th to the 18th century. Traditionally, research stressed #England’s diplomatic relations with #Spain and #France. With a broader understanding of English interests coming to the fore, the research focus widened accordingly.
#Scotland and England followed their own diplomatic agendas in the 16th century, exercising #diplomacy in different ways and with different partners. However, this included also each other with intensive diplomatic contacts in the 1530s and 1540s as well as the 1560s and 1570s. The #UnionoOfTheCrown in 1603 changed the preconditions for English and Scottish diplomacy according to Freyer and Gehring, as England became dominant for foreign relations, although in theory Scottish diplomacy could have run alongside the English. (4/6)
18th century #British#emdiplomacy faced self-made hurdles. The personnel for example were British upper classes who could meet the requirements for ceremonial knowledge, but were not trained in international relations or the duties of #emdiplomats in particular. Thus, while European #diplomacy became increasingly professionalised, British diplomacy remained stuck in an increasingly outmoded understanding of ceremonial and social capital. (6/6)
That's a fish painted in the 1780s. A still life by Giuseppe Artioli. And there is also a used handmade paper sheet, with calculations on it. In #earlymodern Europe, paper was used and re-used regularly.
In fact, the contemporary paper markets offered 'fresh' and blank paper sheets as single-sheets, in units of 5 sheets, in units of 24/25 sheets etc.
But fishmongers often used used papers for wrapping purposes.
There is a lot going on in Pieter van Laer's 1630s "Self-Portrait with Magic Scene" (e.g. #earlymodern#alchemy and #magic, and #books). But have a look at the paper cone in the right foreground of the painting. Likely seeds or #peppercorns are spilling out. This is relevant for #PaperHistory and #BookHistory, dear #histodons.
One central problem that resulted from the federal nature of the #Dutch republic was secrecy: How could one keep a secret with so many actors involved? This was almost a mission impossible, although one tried several measures such as an oath of secrecy to deal with the problem.
When dealing with Dutch #emdiplomacy you inevitably come across two other big issues: the Protestant character of Dutch #earlymodern#diplomacy and the importance of trade and commercial interests. For @helmers_h and @NinaLamal these are not contradictory interests. However, they argue that “commerce, geopolitics, and protestantism were perfectly reconcilable”. (4/5)
Finally, @helmer and @NinaLamal argue that it is important to analyse #Dutch#emdiplomacy not only in its European context, but in its global dimension. The East India Company (#VOC) and its growing importance in #Asia played an important role in the rise of the Dutch republic. Unfortunately, both dimesions – the European and the global one – are far too often dealt seperately with by modern research. A problem that is generally true for research on #earlymodern diplomacy.
This leads to an overarching problem of how to competently connect national, European and global perspectives on diplomacy without blurring the focus. A question to be discussed elsewhere. (5/5)
A multi-day conference is planned for Glasgow in summer 2025 (dates TBD) to mark the quatercentenary of the death of James VI & I. Please register your interest via the online form (NB this is NOT a CFP)
According to Cario-Ivernizzi Spanish historiography continues to suffer from a lack of discourse surrounding its cultural history in general and with literary studies in particular, this is also reflected in new diplomatic #history.
However, historians specialised in Spanish #diplomacy continue to take steps forward in the field, not only with regard to the exchange of gifts but also gradually incorporating the analytical category of gender.
The career paths of Spanish & Portguese #emdiplomats have gained more attention in research only recently.
By placing more of a focus on integrating the activities of both official ambassadors and informal agents into diplomatic studies in the future, we will be able to obtain a more complete understanding of Spanish and European diplomacy in the #earlymodern era. (6/6)