On 13th and 14th December 2024, the Department of Print and Digital Media in the Institute of Information and Communication Research UMK/NCU together with the Provincial Public Library – Copernican Library in Torun, the University Library in Torun, the District Museum in Torun, the State Archives in Torun and the Diocesan Museum in Torun are organizing the 4th International, Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference in the Field of Bookbinding Studies entitled „Gothic in Poland and Europe”.
According to the organizers, the aim of the conference is a multi-aspect presentation of the Gothic style in Polish and European bookbinding in the 13th and 16th centuries, including issues such as:
- definition of the Gothic style in bookbinding,
- evolution of technology and decoration in Gothic book bindings,
- regional differences in Gothic book bindings,
- achievements of individual bookbinders of the Gothic era,
- connections between Gothic bookbinding decorations and other areas of artistic craftsmanship,
- iconography of book bindings in Gothic art,
- organization of the bookbinding craft in the Gothic era,
- historical collections of volumes in Gothic bindings,
- contemporary collections of Gothic book bindings in state and church institutions,
- selected examples of Gothic bindings of special artistic and historical value,
as well - conservation/restoration of Gothic book bindings.
The implementation of the above idea will lead to a much better understanding of Gothic bookbinding as an integral component of artistic crafts and decorative arts in Europe. So far, Gothic book bindings have been marginalized in the historical and artistic discourse, which seriously impoverishes the image of all European craftsmanship from the 13th century to at least the first decades of the 16th century. At the same time, before the conference and the accompanying exhibition of bindings, the aim is to make wide circles of scientists, librarians, museologists, archivists and bibliophiles aware of how many priceless monuments of medieval European bookbinding are still in the collections in Torun – the city of Nicolaus Copernicus. This is despite the absolutely catastrophic damage that has been done to Polish library and museum collections over the centuries, especially during World War II.
Given the outlined aim of the conference, we invite representatives of the international academic community (books researchers, art historians, historians, conservators), library, museum and archival community, as well as bibliophiles and all enthusiasts of old book culture to participate.