Latin palaeography of the modern period

or - what Maria Theresa and her husband wrote about

 

Subject taught by: Prof. PhDr. Juraj Šedivý, MAS, PhD.

Form of instruction: lecture with seminar (L:1 / S:1)

ECTS: 4

Objective:

Lectures combined with practical exercises (reading and analysis of documents) will specialize on the modern Latin script used in (mainly diplomatic) documents from the 16th to the 19th century. During one semester, students will be introduced to the nomenclature of modern scripts and to the development of the different styles, types and varieties, both in chronological order (15th to 19th centuries) and by geographical region (Mediterranean area, France and England, Central Europe). The main aim of the course is to teach, through practical examples, how to read modern texts and to acquire the skills to date and critically assess the modern written material presented on the basis of an analysis of its script.

Brief outline:

• Overview of the development of writing in the Middle Ages
• Historical background of the changes in written culture at the interface of the Middle Ages and the modern period
• The development of writing in the Mediterranean (especially Italy) - humanistic scripts
• The development of writing in France and England
• Development of writing in Central Europe - Post-Gothic scripts
• Central European writing of the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

Graduation Requirements:

• Attendance - 3 hours may be missed without excuse,
• completion of ongoing activities = 30% of the grade (consists of the student's activity in class, his/her ongoing homework for reading the inscriptions),
• final assessment during the exam period = 70% (assessment of theoretical and practical knowledge in the form of a test).

Recommended reading:

ŠEDIVÝ, Juraj: Úvod do latinskej paleografie II (only pp. 43-52) – available at https://www.academia.edu/86577625/%C3%9Avod_do_latinskej_paleografie_II_Obdobie_karolovsk%C3%A9_a_gotick%C3%A9_SKRIPTUM_?email_work_card=reading-history

Extension literature (optional, only for those interested):

• GÓRSKI, Karol: Neografia gotycka. Podręcznik pisma neogotyckiego XVI-XX w., I (texts) II (pictures), Toruň 1960
• MUZIKA, František: Krásné písmo II, Praha 1969
• POLÁK, Stanislav: Studium NV písma, in: Sborník Bělobrdska VII, 1977, s.
• KAŠPAR, Jaroslav: Úvod do novověké latinské paleografie se zvláštním zřetelem k českým zemím I. Texty, II. Obr. příl., Praha 1975 - 2. vyd. Praha 1987