2.1.4: 1585 - 1725 - Formats/design of the text


The seventeenth century is the century of the quarto: a strong book with pages wide enough to offer enough space for the somewhat plump, Baroque book decoration which was so characteristic of Dutch book production in the Golden Age. In later centuries, it would be the small formats, octavo and duodecimo, which were to become highly desirable collectors' items, while the impressive folio volumes are still the pride of every large library.

Many of the printers and publishers who were active at the beginning of the century came from the Southern Netherlands. They were strongly influenced by French examples and the quality of their publications was much better than that of their colleagues from the Northern Netherlands. The balanced, transparent pages set in roman and the beautiful ornaments and decorative letters are characteristic of these books. Such printers were to be found particularly in Leiden where they manufactured books for an international, erudite elite. The texts are mostly in Latin and occasionally in French, a language which, as the century progressed and interest moved from scientific to general cultural and historical works, became more and more important.

Books for the 'wider public', which varied from rich merchants to simple artisans, were produced in large numbers in the Republic, especially in Amsterdam where almost as many printers and publishers were active as in the rest of the Netherlands. These books do not differ in essence from their scholarly counterparts: the ornaments, decorative letters and the way in which the text is built up in chapters and paragraphs, or is provided with notes and references, have much in common. For these books in the vernacular, however, use was almost always made of a Gothic or black letter instead of roman type, giving them a completely different appearance.

The average quality of the Dutch book was, around the middle of the seventeenth century, high and would only decrease after the 1670s. The legacy of the Southern Netherlands had an unmistakable influence. There were no noteworthy differences in quality between printers during this period of growth regarding paper, composition, or items such as correction and finishing touches. The books which were produced in the provinces, however, and especially in Gelderland, Utrecht or Overijssel, were often of a lower quality. Their sloppy workmanship became the norm in Holland during the 1680s as well: poor paper, damaged and worn ornaments and decorative letters appeared more and more.

At the end of the seventeenth century, French Huguenot refugees brought about a temporary and limited revival. Important publishers such as François Halma of Amsterdam and Pieter van der Aa at Leiden published well-made books which, with their classic, balanced design, could compete with the most beautiful editions of Blaeu or the Elzeviers. Books intended for the highest segment of the market continued, therefore, to be of good quality. The quality of all other printed matter such as almanacs, religious works, academic dissertations and so forth, gradually declined.


author: P. Dijstelberge
 
 


Formats/design of the text



Elsevier - biographical data

Name: Elsevier
Name: Elsevier Focus
Name: Focus Elsevier
Name: A. Elsevier
Name: Elsevier-Sport
Name: Elzevier
Name: Elsevier / NDU
Name: Deltos Elsevier
Name: American Elsevier Publishing
Name: Elsevier Argus
Name: Elsevier / Manteau
Name: Royal Tropical Institute (1988)
Name: Meulenhoff Educatief (1986-1987)
Name: For the Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands (1976)
Name: Prometheus (1999)
Name: Interventura (1983)
Name: Intermediair (1976)
Name: G.B. van Goor Zonen (1979-1981)
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1919 - 1999
Period: geen


Elzevier - biographical data

Name: Elzevier
address: Leiden 1757, 1774, 1781


Elzevier, Abraham, I - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Abraham, I
Name: A. Elsevier
address: Leiden 1620-1653
address: 's-Gravenhage 1643


Elzevier, Abraham (I) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Abraham (I)
Name: Elsevier, Abraham Elsevirius, Abrahamus Elzevirius, Abrahamus
address: Leiden 1621-1653


Elzevier, Abraham, II - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Abraham, II
address: Leiden 1681-1712


Elzevier, Abraham (II) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Abraham (II)
address: Leiden 1681-1702


Elzevier, Bonaventura - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Bonaventura
Name: B. Elsevier
address: Amsterdam 1608-1609
address: Leiden 1610, 1617-1653


Elzevier, Bonaventura - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Bonaventura
Name: Elsevier, Bonaventura
address: Leiden 1610-1653


Elzevier, Daniel - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Daniel
Name: D. Elsvirius, D. Elsevier
address: Leiden 1652-1655
address: Amsterdam 1655-1680


Elzevier, Daniel - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Daniel
Name: Elsevier, Daniel Elsvirius, Daniel
address: Leiden 1652-1655


Elzevier, erven Daniel - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, erven Daniel
address: Amsterdam 1681-1683


Elzevier, Gillis - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Gillis
Name: Aegidius Elsevirus
address: 's-Gravenhage 1599


Elzevier, Isaac - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Isaac
Name: I. Elsevier
address: Leiden 1617-1626


Elzevier, Isaac - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Isaac
Name: Elsevier, Isaac
address: Leiden 1617-1626


Elzevier, Johannes - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Johannes
Name: J. Elsevier, Giovanni Elsevier, J. Elsvirius
address: Leiden 1652-1661


Elzevier, Johannes - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Johannes
Name: Elsevier, Johannes Elsevirius, Johannes
address: Leiden 1652-1661


Elzevier, Johannes (wed. en erven) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Johannes (wed. en erven)
Name: Elsevier, Johannes (wed. en erven) Elsevierius, Johannes (wed. en erven) Elsevirius, Johannes (wed. en erven) Elzeviriana, officina Elzevirius, Johannes (wed. en erven)
address: Leiden 1661-1681


Elzevier, Lowijs, I - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs, I
Name: L. Elsevier
address: Leiden 1583-1617
address: Frankfurt am Main 1614-1615


Elzevier, Lowijs (I) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs (I)
Name: Elsevirius, Ludovicus Elzeverius, Ludovicus Elzevirius, Ludovicus
address: Leiden 1583-1617


Elzevier, Lowijs, II - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs, II
Name: L. Elsevier, L. Elzevir
address: 's-Gravenhage 1594-1619


Elzevier, Lowijs (II) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs (II)
Name: Elsevier, Lowijs Elzevir, Loys
address: Den Haag 1594-1619


Elzevier, Lowijs, III - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs, III
Name: L. Elsevier
address: Amsterdam 1638-1665, 1669


Elzevier, Lowijs (III) - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Lowijs (III)
Name: Elsevier, Lowijs Elsevirius, Ludovicus Elzevirius, Ludovicus
address: Amsterdam 1638-1669


Elzevier, Matthijs - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Matthijs
address: Leiden 1617-1622


Elzevier, Petrus - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Petrus
address: Utrecht 1691-1692


Elzevier, Petrus - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, Petrus
address: Utrecht 1668-1675


Elzevier Stokmans - biographical data

Name: Elzevier Stokmans
Name: Elzevier Stokmans en Rijnders, J.
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1839 - 1851


Elzevier Stokmans, S. - biographical data

Name: Elzevier Stokmans, S.
address: Amsterdam
Period: 1829 - 1830


Elzevier, wed. Daniel - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, wed. Daniel
address: Amsterdam 1681


Elzevier, wed. en erven Johannes - biographical data

Name: Elzevier, wed. en erven Johannes
Name: wed. en erven J. Elsevier, officina Elzeviriana, e.d
address: Leiden 1661-1681


Images about Elzevier*


Bookbinding, c. 1631