Paper, Prints and More

Today, was the first day of our Culture and Collections class, which is a class the studies objects and their historical significance.  We started by learning about how to identify different paper and be able to place a piece of paper in  time.

Paper has been made different ways throughout time: mainly it has either been laid, which basically means hand-made or it has been woven (i.e made by a machine).  We learned today how to tell the difference between handmade paper and woven paper, based on the lines and characteristics of the paper itself.  Once you id how the paper is made it is easier to place it during a certain period of time, laid paper being older.

The second way we dated/id'd paper was based on the material it was made of.  Earlier on paper was actually made from linen and cotton fibers, which produce heavier and more mailable paper.  Wood pulp paper is a later invention which is more easily recognized because as it ages it turns brittle and yellows.

After we learned about the paper itself, when then learned about different ways that images were printed on the paper, whether in relief (i.e. woodcuts), intaglio (i.e copper plate etchings and engravings), or planographic (i.e litography).  We learned about the various ways these processes were done, how to distinguish between processes, and the dates that correspond to when the processes were popular.

I did not consider myself a material culture's person going into class today, but I can say that class was in fact very interesting.  It was interesting to finally be in a small class that we fully participate in and have a chance to spend most of the time to hands-on work.  The majority of the class was spent actually looking a different paper and prints and letting us actually hold them in our hands and identify the differences.  I can definitely say so far, one class in, grad school is pretty darn awesome.