The Paleography Seminar

The American Boccaccio Association, in collaboration with the Ente Nazionale Giovanni Boccaccio, is pleased to sponsor workshops taught by internationally renowned paleographers.

The Seminars address methodological and practical concerns related to study of Latin and vernacular paleography. The teaching program includes introductions to the major Florentine and Roman libraries, paleography classes using Latin and vernacular manuscripts, and transcription practice. Participants must be ABA members, affiliated with a North American university, and have a good knowledge of the Italian language, as the seminars will be conducted in Italian.

The most recent Seminar, titled "Manuscript Culture in Boccaccio's Times," was taught in June 2023 by Profs. Irene Ceccherini, Marco Cursi, Teresa De Robertis, Maddalena Signorini and Stefano Zamponi, with guidance by Claudia Montuschi, Director of the Manuscript Department at the Vatican Library.

To learn more about this year’s seminar and how to apply click here.

Photos

  • At At the Accademia dei Lincei Accademia dei Lincei

  • Cena medievale, Certaldo alta

  • In cima alla casa del Boccaccio

  • Lezione di Stefano Zamponi, Biblioteca Laurenziana

  • Presentation by Marco Cursi, in the Salone Sistino, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

  • Paleography Seminar 2023

Testimonials

  • "This has been an experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life. I will treasure it as it gave me a lot, both professionally and personally. The professors I met were not only amazing scholars, and the best in their discipline, they were also fantastic people with whom you could establish a genuine relationship. This can be said about the other participants too, and especially the organizers, who did a spotless job in creating an environment that despite being extremely high in professionalism, was also very chill and welcoming. In other words, this experience makes you meet and learn from world experts while you feel at ease. Chapeau! Moreover, we should highlight that all this happened while we were working in four of the most renowned libraries and collections of the entire planet; places so beautiful that would be worth visiting even if they didn’t have books in them. Now, imagine what it would be like if they also own Boccaccio's autograph manuscripts, and that, in some cases, you could also touch them, respectfully, with your own hands. I truly felt privileged throughout this journey."

    Pierpaolo Spagnolo, Duke University

  • "A truly exceptional opportunity to access manuscripts, and to learn about material culture and handwriting. It was an enormously enriching experience to work with colleagues and world-leading experts in Boccaccian manuscripts!"

    Francesco Ciabattoni, Professor of Italian, Georgetown University

  • "The ENGB/ABA Paleography Seminar in Florence and Rome provided unique access to rare works of Renaissance and Medieval literature with world-class experts in Florentine and Roman libraries. The online paleographic and codicological seminars offered tools to interpret and understand the meaning of the texts. The comradery and bon esprit among participants and professors ensured that the experience was rewarding both personally and professionally. I highly recommend this valuable opportunity to Renaissance and medieval scholars, especially boccaccisti."

    Artemis Preeshl, Pondicherry University, India