Gothic bindings in Gothic Toruń with SIGLUM

On Saturday, February 1, 2025, members of SIGLUM. Research Group for the Study of  Manuscripts had the opportunity to view the exhibition “Gothic Bindings from the 13th to 16th Centuries from Toruń Collections”. Organized by the Toruń academic community in conjunction with cyclical conferences on bookbinding studies, the exhibition was made available to the public in the Gothic interiors of the city’s Town Hall, currently the District Museum. Our guide through this exceptional exhibition – remarkable on a European scale –was one of its initiators and curators, Professor Arkadiusz Wagner from Nicolaus Copernicus University.

The exhibition aims to showcase the history and evolution of Gothic bookbindings based on the extraordinarily rich collections of local libraries, including the University Library of Nicolaus Copernicus University, the Copernican Library, the District Museum, the Diocesan Museum, the State Archives, as well as private collections. Among the exhibits are books originating from the State of the Teutonic Order, Royal and Ducal Prussia, as well as those from other regions (including the Lesser Poland, German cities, Italy, and Bohemia) that, over time, found their way to the city of Nicolaus Copernicus. In addition to Gothic bindings, the exhibition features examples from Toruń’s unique collection of wax tablets, as well as Gothic paintings and sculptures depicting details related to the material culture of the book.

During the special guided tour organized for SIGLUM, Professor Wagner presented the concept behind the selection of exhibits, discussed the evolution of Gothic bindings and their manufacturing methods between the 13th and 16th centuries, and characterized individual sections of the exhibition. The clear and well-planned organization of the exhibition enabled us to explore the various types of bindings – from elaborate prayer books made for social elites, presented in the section titled “Devotion and Luxury,” to modest utilitarian bindings from the collections of medieval scholars, displayed in the section titled “In the Privacy of Archives and Studios.” The exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual catalogue, “Gothic book bindings from the 13th to 16th Centuries from Toruń Collections,” co-authored by Arkadiusz Wagner, Magdalena Awianowicz, Marta Czyżak, Beata Madajewska, and Krzysztof Nierzwicki. Published by the Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, this publication serves as an excellent supplement and a scholarly commentary to the exhibits displayed in the Toruń town hall. It is not just a record of the Toruń exhibition, but a comprehensive scholarly introduction to the subject indicating avenues for further research into Gothic books and bindings from the area.

After the exhibition, SIGLUM members took part in a guided tour of the historic sites of Toruń’s Old and New Towns, including the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, and the Church of St. James. Our guide in Toruń was Mr. Piotr Kożurno from the Nicolaus Copernicus University Library, to whom we extend our sincere thanks. We also express our gratitude to our SIGLUM colleague, Dr. Marta Czyżak, for her assistance and involvement in preparing the excursion, which made the entire endeavour not only a meticulously planned cultural trip but also a delightful opportunity for a gathering of the SIGLUM Group. Special thanks go to Professor Arkadiusz Wagner, who graciously introduced us to the extraordinary world of Gothic bindings with his characteristic bibliophilic enthusiasm and also gifted SIGLUM a copy of the aforementioned Catalogue.

 

 

Authors: Monika Opalińska and Agnieszka Fabiańska