Inaugural Annual Gombar/Duychak Lecture on Early Modern Print Culture
Movable Mountains and Leveled Landscapes in 17th c. Flap Prints
Dr. Suzanne Karr Schmidt, George Amos Poole III Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Newberry Library
Abstract:
Early modern prints were never static. They delivered viral international news, and could turn back time in increasingly novel, hands-on formats. This talk will discuss two sets of interactive prints: a 1612 flap book that allowed armchair pilgrims to move the mountain where Saint Francis received his stigmata; and five broadsides with a liftable flap reimagining the 1618 rockslide that destroyed the mining town of Plurs, Switzerland. Thus, fascinated 17th-century viewers could witness the glory of Saint Francis, or the tragedy of Plurs, all from the safety of their homes.
April 12th, 2021 at 5:00–6:30 CT via Zoom: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/8590081291