
Woodcuts as Reading Guides
How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550)
Andrea van Leerdam(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 1. December 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-1-041-19087-5 (ISBN)
Description
In the first half of the sixteenth century, the Low Countries saw the rise of a lively market for practical and instructive books that targeted non-specialist readers. This study shows how woodcuts in vernacular books on medicine and astrology fulfilled important rhetorical functions in knowledge communication. These images guided readers' perceptions of the organisation, visualisation, and reliability of knowledge. Andrea van Leerdam uncovers the assumptions and intentions of book producers to which images testify, and shows how actual readers engaged with these illustrated books. Drawing on insights from the field of information design studies, she scrutinises the books' material characteristics, including their lay-outs and traces of use, to shed light on the habits and interests of early modern readers. She situates these works in a culture where medicine and astrology were closely interwoven in daily life and where both book producers and readers were exploring the potential of images.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Academic
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 174 mm
Weight
940 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-041-19087-5 (9781041190875)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Andrea van Leerdam
Woodcuts as Reading Guides
How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550)
E-Book
10/2025
Routledge
€56.99
Available for download

Andrea van Leerdam
Woodcuts as Reading Guides
How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550)
E-Book
10/2025
Routledge
€56.99
Available for download

Andrea van Leerdam
Woodcuts as Reading Guides
How Images Shaped Knowledge Transmission in Medical-Astrological Books in Dutch (1500-1550)
Book
11/2023
Pallas Publications
€64.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Andrea van Leerdam is curator of rare books at Utrecht University Library. She holds a PhD in book history from the same university. She also worked for ten years as a humanities communications advisor.
Content
Acknowledgements, Note to the reader, Abbreviations, Codes used for examined editions and copies, Introduction, 1. Bodies of Knowledge: Dutch Medical-Astrological Books between 1500-1550, 2. Organising Knowledge: Conceptualisations and Visual Strategies, 3. Knowledge Tools: The Perceived Epistemic Significance of Images, 4. Reliable Knowledge: Invoking Trust through Authority and Playfulness, 5. Customising Knowledge: Readers' Engagement with Illustrated Books, Conclusion, Appendices, Bibliography, List of figures, List of tables, Index of names and works