Collectors and Readers

Manuscripts in Czech Libraries of the Rudolfine Period

Lenka Veselá, Jindřich Marek

Pages: approx. 525 p.
Size:216 x 280 mm
Illustrations:24 b/w, 42 col.

Language(s):English
Publication Year:2026

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ISBN: 978-2-503-61798-5
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"Collectors and Readers" uncovers the overlooked yet vital role of manuscripts in Czech libraries during the Rudolfine era, examining how these cherished texts shaped intellectual pursuits, social status, and cultural identity in early modern Central Europe, and offering fresh perspectives on the enduring importance of handwritten works in an age of increasing print production.

Subject(s)

BIO

Lenka Veselá is a senior researcher at the Library of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Prague) and an external lecturer at the Charles University, Faculty of Arts. Her research focuses on the history of books in the early modern period, especially the Swedish literary spoils of war. She has published several monographs on the aristocratic libraries in the 16th century, e.g. on books at the Rosenberg court (2005) or on the library of the Austrian nobleman Hieronymus Beck of Leopoldsdorf (2016).

Jindřich Marek is an associate professor at Charles University, Faculty of Arts (Prague). He has a long-standing interest in the history of books in the Bohemian lands in the Middle Ages and early modern period. In addition to writing a biography of Václav Koranda the Younger, an important figure at the University of Prague in the late Middle Ages (2017), he also contributed a chapter to a monograph on Czech book history in the Middle Ages (2020).

Summary

"Collectors and Readers: Manuscripts in Czech Libraries of the Rudolfine Period" explores the often-overlooked role of manuscripts during a time of media transition. Focusing on the reign of Emperor Rudolf II, this study examines eight personal libraries from various social backgrounds, from royalty to wealthy citizens.

Authors Lenka Veselá and Jindřich Marek, building on existing scholarship in early modern book history, investigate the continued importance of manuscripts in an era increasingly dominated by print. They consider how these texts functioned not only as sources of knowledge but also as objects of cultural significance and social prestige.

By looking at collecting practices, reading habits, and the physical features of manuscripts, the book aims to provide insights into the intellectual world of the Rudolfine period. It explores the relationship between manuscripts and printed books, offering a perspective on the cultural and social aspects of book collecting.

"Collectors and Readers" seeks to contribute to our understanding of early modern book history by reassessing the place of manuscripts in the changing media landscape of 16th and 17th century Central Europe. It may be of interest to scholars and readers curious about the enduring influence of manuscript culture.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
1. Manuscripts in Early Modern Libraries: A Marginal Phenomenon, or a Research Topic?
2. Rudolf II and His Books at Prague Castle
Rudolf’s Manuscript Collection
Manuscripts in Rudolf II’s Personal Library
Manuscripts in the Kunstkammer
3. The Older Generation of Aristocrats: Vilém of Rosenberg and Adam of Dietrichstein
Vilém of Rosenberg
Adam of Dietrichstein
4. The Library of Petr Vok of Rosenberg
Personal Library in Bechyně
Acquisition Strategy
Manuscript Care
Content Structure
5. The Library of Ferdinand Hoffmann of Grünbühl and Střechov
Manuscripts
Acquisition Strategy
Content Structure
6. Libraries of Catholic prelates: Antonín Brus of Mohelnice and Jiří Barthold Pontanus of Breitenberg
Antonín Brus of Mohelnice
Jiří Barthold Pontanus of Breitenberg
7. Library of Jakob Konrad Praetorius of Perlenberg
8. Collectors, or Readers?
Cultural Influences
Mediality of Manuscripts
Acquisition Strategy
Manuscript Collecting
Personal and Confessional Representation
9. Manuscripts as Texts

List of Sources
A/ Primary Sources
1. Old Library Catalogues
2. Printed Auction Catalogues
3. Archival Sources Concerning Libraries
B/ Early Printed Books
C/ Published Sources
D/ Digital Resources

Bibliography
List of Extant Manuscripts
Index of Personal Names

Media

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