Having a Closer Look (literally) at Paper and Parchment!

Last Friday, we were very lucky to have Marie-France Lemay, the Head of the Paper and Photograph Conservation at Yale Library, guiding us in closely looking at the different kinds of supports on which text could be written or printed. In the image above, she is standing on the right in front of the Beinecke’s 15th-century Speculum historiale (https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2005356). This manuscript proved very important to the class as its quire were made from what we ended up calling a “parchment-paper-parchment sandwich.” This basically means that the inner and outer most bifolia in each quire were parchment while the folia in between were paper. This kind of organization marks the proliferation of paper throughout Europe despite skepticisms about its durability. The binders were likely concerned that the paper was going to rip when they were sewing the quires together so they add the parchment on the inside and outside of each quire for extra physical support. Other than this unique object, Marie-France led a group activity in which students felt and looked at samples of different kind of paper through transmitted light. We also looked at different types of paper molds and the differences of texture between the types of paper that are made from them.

Finally, Dr. Anikó Bezur and Dr. Richard Hark gave us a presentation about the chemical structures of paper and parchment that result in their unique qualities. This was followed by a hands-on activity in which students got to look at different manuscripts using stereo and digital microscopes. They noticed that the difference in topography between paper and parchment as well as the dimensionality of the inks and paints that are applied on top of them. The students had different opinions regarding whether they preferred the stereo or digital microscopes but they recognized the utility of stereomicroscopes in capturing in giving a 3D view while digital microscopes were quite useful in their ability to project large magnifications on a screen that can be seen by multiple individuals at the same time!

We have a lot more planned for this week, wish us warmer weather and less icy sidewalks!