Georgios Boudalis explores the subject of textiles and craft in Byzantine bookbinding, sharing techniques little known not only in the context of Byzantine bookbinding but also more generally in the context of Byzantine material culture.
Talk 2: Beyond the velvet cover: textiles and craft in Byzantine bookbinding
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Beyond the sewing structure itself and the rich fabrics used to cover luxurious books, there are many other textiles and textile related techniques that have so far remained unnoticed in Byzantine codices. These techniques include braiding, twining, sumak and tablet weaving which have been used in Byzantine and similar codices for working endbands, bookmarks and fastenings straps. Beyond providing information on some so far unknown practices and techniques in the context of Byzantine bookbinding, such practices also provide very rare and thus valuable information on the knowledge and use of these techniques in Byzantine textile production.
Georgios Boudalis is the Head of Book and Paper Conservation at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, Greece.
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In this series of five talks, conservators, curators and book artists to explore where textiles can be found in library collections, their conservation needs, and what they can reveal about historic and contemporary craft.
This series is generously supported by T A Barron.