The exhibition focuses on a selection of books dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, owned by the Palatine Library, part of the Pilotta Monumental Complex, that show the evolution of the art of bookbinding over time.
The term bookbinding refers to the complex series of operations involving the stitching of the block of papers or files, its covering and eventual decoration, in order to protect the contents of the book from external agents (excessive temperature, humidity, mold, insects, mice). An aesthetic value has been added to the conservation purpose over the centuries: so that the severe Gothic bindings, ornamented with dry-stamping, evolved into the classical Renaissance gold decorations, to the sumptuous Baroque fan-shaped decorations, to the lace decorations of the 18th century, to the Romantic decorations of the 19th century.
The exhibition, born out of the “shelf-by-shelf” survey conducted since 2012 by Federico Macchi, who analyzed the different collections of the Palatine Library, highlighting their plurality and quality, is divided into two sections:
- 15th Century
- 16th Century
Gothic bindings (14th-15th centuries), made in the monasteries and workshops of university towns, are usually of large format and on wooden boards, covered with different materials including parchment, tanned leather, sheep and goat leather and decorated initially in dry type and later in gold.
In the Renaissance period (second half of the 15th-16th centuries), bookbinding was renewed following the spread of the printed book, smaller and of more manageable format, which favoured an increase in book production and lighter supports, such as cardboard plates instead of wooden ones. The Italian bindings of the time, in the vanguard compared to other European nations, showed city and territorial particularities, such as Islamic influence in Venice or papal influence in Rome, together with a series of common characteristics that decreed their excellence: gold leaf, gilded, engraved and painted cuts and medallions in the centre depicting mythological and allegorical scenes.
In order to document the richness of the Palatine Library’s holdings and to promote their study, our website features a section dedicated to bindings, with over 1460 entries of manuscript or printed works, accompanied by descriptions, detailed comments and reproductions.
Click here to discover the Palatine Library’s bindings of manuscripts and incunabula
Opening
February 8th 2025 at 10.30 a.m.
Galleria Petitot of the Palatine Library
Federico Macchi, curator of the exhibition, and Stefano L’Occaso, director of the Complesso monumentale della Pilotta, will speak.
Free entrance from Sala Paciaudi, until the maximum capacity of the hall is reached.
Guided tours
To enjoy the exhibition and discover many interesting facts about the fine art of bookbinding, the Monumental Complex of the Pilotta is organizing a series of guided tours to the exhibition open to all.
Gallery
