Two panel sessions organised by Jenny Boulboullé and Thijs Hagendijk at the Scientiae 2017 conference in Padua

The sixth annual Scientiae conference on disciplines of knowing in the early modern world (roughly 1400-1800) will take place at the University of Padua on 19-22 April 2017. ARTECHNE project members Jenny Boulboullé and Thijs Hagendijk will organise two panels:

DIY knowledge transmission in early forms of ‘manual’ publishing 1560-1660
Jenny Boulboullé and Djoeke van Netten

• Presentation by Djoeke van Netten: Treasures, lights and mirrors. How to use an early modern pilot guide?
• Presentation by Jenny Boulboullé: The portable Della Porta: a ‘handbook’ for makers and knowers of natural marvels.
• Short hands-on workshop: Paper technologies and secrecy writing technologies following instructions in early modern pilot guides and books of secrets.

Commodification of artisanal knowledge in the Low Countries
Ruben Schalk, Thijs Hagendijk and Lisa Wiersma

• Presentation by Ruben Schalk: Artisanal knowledge and apprenticeship training in the early modern Low Countries
• Presentation by Thijs Hagendijk: Learning a craft from books. Reconstructions of a Dutch manual for gold- and silversmiths (1721)
• Presentation by Lisa Wiersma: The big world painted small (1692), the first text book for painters?

The major premise of this conference series is that knowledge during this period was inherently interdisciplinary, involving complex mixtures of theories, practices and objects, which had yet to be separated into their modern ‘scientific’ configurations. Although centred on attempts to understand and control the natural world, Scientiae addresses natural philosophy, natural history, and the scientiae mixtae within a wide range of related fields, including but not restricted to Biblical exegesis, medicine, artisan practice and theory, logic, humanism, alchemy, magic, witchcraft, demonology, divinatory practices, astronomy, astrology, music, antiquarianism, experimentation and commerce. This year attention is especially given to the history of early modern knowledge and erudition, the history of universities, particularly though not exclusively the history of the university of Padua, as well as the history of the book and the history of political thought. Keynote speakers will be Paula Findlen (Stanford), Claire Preston (QM London), and Antonio Clericuzio (Roma Tre).