Zanna Van Loon
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zannavanloon.bsky.social
Zanna Van Loon
@zannavanloon.bsky.social
5K followers 1.4K following 340 posts
Curator of rare books and manuscripts at Museum Plantin-Moretus ❦ Doctor in early modern history ❦ Book historian and bibliographer ❦ Research on the materiality of early modern books
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zannavanloon.bsky.social
Storm at sea 🌊

This 1614 book includes a beautiful engraving depicting the hazardous sea journey of Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł. The print shows his ship caught in a violent night storm.

Look at how marvelous the engraver visualized darkness and the wind through an interplay of straight lines!
Detail of an engraving depicting a 17th-century ship out at sea during a night storm. The scene is very dramatic with large waves, wind, and thunder. Another detail of an engraving depicting a 17th-century ship out at sea during a night storm. The scene is very dramatic with large waves, wind, and thunder. Another detail of an engraving depicting a 17th-century ship out at sea during a night storm. The scene is very dramatic with large waves, wind, and thunder. An engraving depicting a 17th-century ship out at sea during a night storm. The scene is very dramatic with large waves, wind, and thunder.
February 6, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Zanna Van Loon
dbellingradt.bsky.social
Being busy as an academic back then. Sitting in your working spacing (here it's the Initial "G"), wearing your thinking hat, doing scientific stuff with instruments (he's measuring), and forgetting the world outside (in this case a page in Latin about geography). The year is 1523. #academicchatter
The initial "G" on a print from 1532. A man sitting in the G and is working with a geographical instrument. This is a detail from "Introductio Geographica Petri Apiani" (Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibliothek, 2 LR 18#(Beibd. 2)
February 3, 2026 at 5:04 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
At Museum Plantin-Moretus we still hold the family’s own books.
This 1566 Antwerp edition of Cicero, once owned by Franciscus Raphelengius II, is filled with his pen trials, monograms and even a red‑chalk sketch of the Plantin press device.

Such objects bring us closer to the people who lived here.
A little drawing of red chalk on a blank page of the printer’s mark of the Plantin Press; a hand with an open compass Flyleaf in the book with pen trials: the name of Franciscus Raphelengius II and his monogram Flyleaf in the book with pen trials: the name of Franciscus Raphelengius II and his monogram as well as some letters repeated Title page of the book with printed text. The title reads: Elegantiarum puerilium ex Marci Tulii Ciceronis epistolis libri II ... cui nunc in gratiam juventutis accessit interpretatio Gallica. Above the imprint is a woodcut illustration of Willem Silvius’ printer’s mark
February 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
🫶
Monsters depicted in woodcut illustrations colored in by hand. On top a two-faced man and below a man with a beak and long neck Monsters depicted in woodcut illustrations colored in by hand. On top man with horse legs and below a man with a long red beard Monsters depicted in woodcut illustrations colored in by hand. On top a man with six arms and below a woman with a hedgehog body A woodcut illustration of a monk reading in a book colored in by hand
January 29, 2026 at 4:05 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Browsing through Koberger’s 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle in which the #woodcut illustrations do the heavy lifting long before the text gets a chance.

#bookhistory #rarebooks 💙📚📜
Hand colored city view of Venice depicted in a woodcut illustration. It contains the colors blue for water and red for the roofs of houses. You see brown ships with white sails. In the background a green hillside. Woodcut illustration surrounded by gothic type of Judith with Holofernes on her sword. The illustration is colored in by hand. Woodcut illustration of the sun next to the moon. Both of them have faces. Surrounded by gothic type and colored in by hand. Page in the book with a large woodcut illustration of Adam and Eve in Paradise colored in by hand. Below text in gothic type.
January 29, 2026 at 3:27 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
*depict
January 26, 2026 at 3:59 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Medieval scribes at work.

A 13th-century Bible manuscript is filled with historiated initials, a few of which depicts scribes with their essential tools: a quill pen for writing and a penknife for sharpening the nib and scraping away mistakes.

#bookhistory #rarebooks 💙📚📜
Large historiated initial letter C decorated in different colors and in gold to introduce a new section of the text in gotic type. It depicts a monk writing text on a leaf of paper as a scribe, holding both a quill as well as a pen knife. He wears a blue robe and a red undergarnment and a hat. Large historiated initial letter O decorated in different colors and in gold to introduce a new section of the text in gotic type. It depicts a saint writing text on a leaf of paper as a scribe, holding both a quill as well as a pen knife. He wears a red robe and a blueish undergarnment and a hat. Large historiated initial letter A decorated in different colors and in gold to introduce a new section of the text in gotic type. It depicts a monk writing text on a leaf of paper as a scribe, holding both a quill as well as a pen knife. He wears a blue robe and a grey undergarnment. Large historiated initial letter P decorated in different colors and in gold to introduce a new section of the text in gotich type. It depicts a monk writing text on a leaf of paper as a scribe, holding both a quill as well as a pen knife. He wears a grey robe.
January 26, 2026 at 3:33 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Interesting! We have another book with Mary’s provenance!
January 21, 2026 at 4:11 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Venice: Aldus Manutius, 1498! anet.be/record/opacm...
January 21, 2026 at 4:10 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Bonus: the Greek book was owned by Mary Clement, daughter of John Clement, the former tutor of Thomas More's children.
The upper leather cover of the binding with decorated with blind tooling Title page of the Greek edition on paper, with a handwritten note on top that reads "Sum Mariae Cleme[n]tis.
January 21, 2026 at 1:27 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Who's a good boy?

Detail of a dog on a 16th-century blind-tooled leather binding.

#earlymodern #bookhistory #rarebooks 💙📚📜
Close-up of the blind-tooled stamp of a dog with his tail up and mouth open. The decoration is part of a roll stamped border on a brown leather cover.
January 21, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Reposted by Zanna Van Loon
altibel.bsky.social
I love these ephemeral prints in archives. This is a receipt for a blessed shroud (12 pesos & 4 reales). Researching them is difficult as most archives of printers have not been preserved. Perhaps they can be found in the archives of the convents/churches but that is for a postdoc 😉 #BookHistory
A small printed paper with decorative frame and a cross, some of the text was filled by hand, it reads: [.]nería del Convento de N.S.P.S. Francisco de México y 10 del mes de diciembre de 1787 años. Mortaja bendita con indulgencia plenaria concedida por el señoer Leon [?] lleva Juan José Ramón 12 ps 4 rs Fr Josef Esquibel Por
January 20, 2026 at 9:45 AM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
The apparition was on the 15th of November.
January 18, 2026 at 6:05 AM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
A later owner added a small print of Nicholas Pieck, one of the Martyrs of Gorcum. A slip of paper also reveals that the book was still in use by Petrus Franciscus van Hilleghem in 1793. /3
Pasted-in print in a cut-out oval shape with the image of Nicholas Pieck in sepia colors in a medaillon surrounded by text. Image of the binding of the book showing its interior structure due to damage. Detail of the spine of the book showing its interior (and some binder's waste) due to damage Slip of paper with the text "Ad usum P[e]tris Francisci Van Hilleghem of 9 8bris 1793
January 16, 2026 at 12:38 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Inside, the pages are full of rubrication and notes: clear traces of readers actively working with the text. /2
Page within the book with printed text in roman type and a larger woodcut initial. The text is rubricated and surrounded by handwritten annotations. Open book: two facing pages with printed text in roman type and a larger woodcut initial. The text is rubricated and surrounded by handwritten annotations.
January 16, 2026 at 12:38 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
This 1526 New Testament from Willem Vorsterman shows how centuries of wear tell the story. The parchment binding has moved & tightened so much over time that the bookblock barely fits the cover anymore. /1

#earlymodern #bookhistory #rarebooks 💙📚📜
Early modern book in its contemporary binding opened on the title page. You see the original binding without a flyleaf on the left and the title page on the right. The title page is adorned with a woodcut border and reads: Sanctvm Iesv Christi evangelivm. The imprint reads: Antverpiae apud Guillelmum Vorsermannum 1526. The text is rubricated with red. The front cover of the book: we see a worn parchment cover with handwritten annotations on it and remnants of a clasp. Lower cover of the book: we see a worn and wavy parchment cover with damage. Fore edge of the book.
January 16, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Zanna Van Loon
liamsims.bsky.social
This scholar in his study got me pondering: who is the first living author in the west to appear in print? Many incunables are of medieval or classical texts, but who is the earliest living writer to see their works in print? Woodcut from Lyons in 1498. @theulspeccoll.bsky.social Inc.5.D.2.10[4435]
January 12, 2026 at 3:42 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Ah how lovely to hear!
January 10, 2026 at 5:57 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
anet.be/record/opacm...
January 10, 2026 at 5:56 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
In a French-Dutch dialogue book for teaching French printed by Christophe Plantin in 1567 the words ‘galere’ in French and ‘galeye’ in Dutch are used to describe to process of typesetting and printing! #bookhistory
Early modern book opened on two pages with on the left a French text with a fictional dialogue in cursive and on the facing page the Dutch translation in roman.
January 10, 2026 at 2:28 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Tagging @letter-kunde.bsky.social here!
January 10, 2026 at 6:35 AM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Visited @letter-kunde.bsky.social’s walhalla of printing presses today. It was a good day!

#bookhistory 💙📚📜
January 9, 2026 at 7:36 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Enkel in Nederlands 😭
January 8, 2026 at 5:34 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Not your average office view: browsing through some medieval manuscripts with beautiful illuminated initials for our new permanent exhibition.

#rarebooks #bookhistory 💙📚📜
Medieval manuscript with gothic text and rubrication in red and blue and a beautiful very large initial letter. Detail of a medieval manuscript with a large initial letter G in green, blue, gold and red. Large historiated initial letter in a medieval manuscripts with two figures in front of a sword in red, blue and gold. Large initial letter P decorated in green and red in a medieval manuscript
January 8, 2026 at 3:10 PM
zannavanloon.bsky.social
Note that the censor Walter vander Steeghen only allowed the printing and sale of the work as a warning, and not as a prophecy: “Dese beschrijvinghe vander comete mach gedruct ende vercocht worden, als een waerschouwinghe, niet als een zeker prophetie.” /2
Detail of the broadsheet focusing on the censor’s statement.
December 30, 2025 at 12:26 PM