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Early modern Europe was a paper age! Let's focus, once more, on the paper usages of a period that mastered so many communication flows on paper. Another thread for #paperhistory #bookhistory
1/x https://twitter.com/RembrandtsRoom/status/1326116633086189569
1/x https://twitter.com/RembrandtsRoom/status/1326116633086189569
Let's start with the obvious: people are writing in this painting and in general. The material they are writing on - paper sheets, bound blank books, etc. It is paper letters (and paper envelopes), paper pages in accounting books, in writing books. All on paper.
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Paper was used for many writing purposes. Yes, only a few could write, but many came into contact with paper. In this scene the "paper manager" is a lawyer. The many papers around him are showing the law business as one of the many paper using activities. Inky paper states!
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Where to put all the used and waiting paper? This lawyer's cabinet decided, like many secretaries and lawyer at the time, to use document bags - literally filled with paper. These bags could be seen hanging in administration buildings. You may enjoy @EricKetelaar on this.
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A closer look offers stored blank "fresh" paper, yet unused material. Paper is always waiting for usages in our images, by the way.
What we see here is paper wrapped in small trading units of the paper trade. You could buy it as single sheets or in units up to 500.
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What we see here is paper wrapped in small trading units of the paper trade. You could buy it as single sheets or in units up to 500.
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