Project « European print culture from the 15th to 19th centuries »

Printed matter is unique. Its production was the prerogative of a community of qualified professionals complying with industry as well as government regulations. It was also subject to administrative and societal constraints which directly impacted the printers’ practices and strategies.

Printed books and ephemera materials provide us with an understanding of the dynamics which defined the typographic workshops of past years by explaining their family, professional and commercial networks, as well as the methods used to distribute and receive their production.

Because of its size and diversity, Mariemont’s collection is a truly valuable resource for the study of European printed culture and also enable for a focus on specific topics such as the contrefaçon phenomenon particularly widespread in 19th-century Belgium.