Instructie hoe de rietpen vastgehouden moet worden (vervolg) 1608

This page, printed in the early 17th century by Jan van de Velde I, offers instructions on how to hold a quill. Think about that for a second: we’re looking at a guide to the most basic element of graphic communication, made at a time when handwriting was an essential skill. The image itself is a demonstration of this skill, rendered on paper with ink. Note how the printed letters vary ever so slightly, reflecting the hand of the typesetter. The whole page is an exercise in precision, a skill so fundamental to early modern commerce and culture. Consider the labor involved in making this page: from preparing the ink and paper, to cutting the quill, to setting the type, to operating the printing press. This was all skilled work, and a vital part of the burgeoning information economy. By emphasizing these materials and processes, we can understand the broader social and economic context in which this seemingly simple instruction manual was created.