British Printed Images to 1700

British Printed Images to 1700 is a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council which by 2009 will make available online in fully searchable form over 12,000 printed images from early modern Britain. It represents a collaboration between Birkbeck (University of London), the Centre for Computing in the Humanities (King’s College London), the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. For further details see the project website.

On Friday, 13, and Saturday, 14 July 2007, a conference will be held at Birkbeck, University of London, devoted to research on the visual culture of early modern Britain with particular reference to printed images. Papers will range from engravings of the Duke of Buckingham and caricatures of Sir Roger L’Estrange to the plates in the 1684 edition of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and the influence of illustrations in Protestant conduct books on domestic decoration. Other topics will include Hollar’s prospects of London, the depiction of animals, and the graphic work of Robert Hooke. A prototype of the interface by which images will be accessed on the project website will also be divulged, and there will be a special display of relevant prints in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum. For the complete programme, see ‘Events’ on the project website.

The cost of registration, including lunch on both days, refreshments, and a wine reception on the evening of Friday, 13, is £79.50. A reduced rate is available for those attending for one day only, for students, and for those who register by 1 June 2007. There will be a display of posters on aspects of the production and consumption of printed images in early modern Britain, and offers of these are welcome. For further details and for registration, see the project website, www.bpi1700.org.uk. Alternatively, contact m.hunter@bbk.ac.uk or spigney@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk, or write to British Printed Images to 1700, School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, U.K.