Book binding in colonial Peru (1584-1821)

Abstract

This article explores the history of bookbinding in Peru during the colonial period, from the mid-16th century to the early 19th century. The main objective is to analyze the development of this craft, its technical, aesthetic, social and economic characteristics, and its relationship with printing and the book trade. Bibliographic, documentary and iconographic research has been used, in addition to the material analysis of old copies that preserve their original bindings. The main results show the close relationship between bookbinding and printing activity, responding to the demand for both imported and local books; the predominant use of flexible parchment binding has also been identified during the study period, although examples of ornate bindings were also found. Despite the loss of original material due to biblioclasm and the practice of rebinding, it is concluded that it is possible to reconstruct the history of bookbinding in Peru through diverse sources, highlighting its importance in the configuration of the book as a cultural and commercial object.