CFP: A Gateway to the Book: The Art of the Frontispiece in Early Modern Europe Das Tor zum Buch: Die Kunst des Frontispizes in der Frühen Neuzeit

7. März 2018 / Fabian Mauch

Deadline: May 31, 2018

CFP: A Gateway to the Book: The Art of the Frontispiece in Early Modern Europe
Das Tor zum Buch: Die Kunst des Frontispizes in der Frühen Neuzeit

Deadline: May 31, 2018

The Art of the Early Modern Frontispiece

Early modern books frequently had a frontispiece or an illustrated title page ranging from simple graphical solutions to very elaborate ones. Comparative studies of frontispieces and title pages, however, remain rare, especially studies taking into account the relationship between image and the following text. This volume seeks to fill the gap and provide studies that take this issue of the relationship between frontispiece or title page with the book and the following texts into focus.

This intersections-volume will seek to explore the underlying issue of image-text relationships from a great variety of academic disciplines and approaches. It encourages contributions not only from scholars working in all historical disciplines, but also in engineering and construction, mathematics and astronomy, theology, economy, and many more. This edited volume could explore, but is not limited to, the epistemological function of the images. Other unanswered questions are:

  • Apart from the relationship between text and image, what are the relationships between typography, image, and text?
  • What iconographic, emblematic or rhetorical traditions have evolved? Were they restricted to certain disciplines or did they follow interdisciplinary norms?
  • What was the impact of censorship on title pages and frontispieces?
  • What is the relationship between title pages and frontispieces of various editions?
  • Who were the artists and engravers and which techniques did they use? Did they have access to the texts or were they given advise? What role did the artists' work for publishers play in their œuvre?
  • Did contemporary reflections on theory and practice play a role in the making of frontispieces or title pages?


The examples used to answer these or other questions pertaining to the topic, should incorporate specific interactions between authors, publishers and artists, and address local or national specificities. Contributors are strongly encouraged to consider the illustrated title pages and frontispieces under the aspect of emblematics and allegory in their role as organising principles for the early modern period.

Submission Information

Editors: Gitta Bertram / Nils Büttner / Claus Zittel

Abstracts of up to 300 words can be submitted by 31 May 2018 to gitta.bertram@googlemail.com; nils.buettner@abk-stuttgart.de; claus.zittel@ts.uni-stuttgart.de with decisions made by June 2018.

Full papers will have to be sent by November 2018 with final decisions by January 2019.

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