Prentbijbel met voorstellingen uit het Oude en Nieuwe Testament 1643

This “Prentbijbel,” or “Picture Bible,” was made by Claes Jansz. Visscher, likely in the Netherlands. Picture Bibles were a popular way of disseminating Biblical stories, making them accessible even to those who couldn't read. Notice the plain cover, made of sturdy animal skin. Vellum, as it's known, would have required significant preparation. The animal hide is stretched, scraped, and treated with lime to create a surface that’s durable enough to protect the book's contents for centuries. The creation of this book involved many hands: from the farmer who raised the animal, to the tanner, to the printer and binder who assembled the book. It is a wonderful example of early modern bookmaking, when the mechanization of printing allowed for mass production, but the craft of bookbinding remained a distinctly manual process. Consider the material reality of this object, and the labor required for its creation; it can give us a sense of the book's value in its own time.