Fragment van een manuscript uit de 12de eeuw before 1879

André Quinsac produced this fragment of a 12th-century manuscript, using paper and ink, traditional materials of the scribe. However, what's intriguing is the potential re-inscription of traditional skills and the labour involved in the context of the printing press. The fragment's irregular shape and the quality of the script suggest a human hand, painstakingly forming each letter. The creation of such a document was not only a display of literacy but also a physical act, a tangible investment of time and skill. Now, the fragment is pasted into a book printed by mechanical means. This raises questions about the changing value of human labor versus machine production during the 19th century. Was this fragment preserved due to nostalgia for pre-industrial modes of production, or perhaps to highlight its unique character in an age of mass production? By considering the material and historical context, we can appreciate the shift in creative practice towards the industrial revolution.