What makes a book sharp and witty? How did early modern print culture shape the way we read, think, and communicate today? The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania and the National Museum of Lithuania invite scholars to unravel these questions at the international conference “Acutus et Argutus: Early Modern Print Culture in Motion.” The event celebrates the legacy of Matthias Casimirus Sarbievius (1595–1640), a master of Baroque poetry and literary theory, whose work “De acuto et arguto” delves into the aesthetics of wit and piercing style in literature. This concept of sharpness and agility in expression mirrors the dynamic transformations that swept through book culture during the early modern period.

The conference will bring together scholars from diverse fields – including book history, print culture, Baroque studies, and documentary heritage – to explore the evolution of books, printing, and readership from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries. Through interdisciplinary dialogue and innovative research approaches, we aim to reveal new insights into early printed books and their vibrant journey across time and space.

We welcome papers that explore but are not limited to the following topics:

• Books and print culture in the early modern period: The rise of printing houses, evolution of book design, typography, and the interplay between Baroque visual culture and book aesthetics.
• Readers, circulation, and provenance: The dissemination of books, evidence of reading practices, and the rich cross-cultural exchanges fascilitated by the printed word.
• New approaches to early printed heritage: Harnessing digital humanities, AI–driven research, forensic analysis, and conservation techniques to uncover hidden stories in early modern printed texts.
• Diverse voices in early modern book culture: highlighting women’s roles, exploring the influence of different cultural groups, and integrating non-European book cultures into the broader narrative of early modern print networks.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome proposals  from scholars at all career stages by 15 May 2025.  Submissions should include:

• Author(s) name, affiliation, and contact information
• Title of the presentation
• Abstract (200–250 words)
• Short bio (max. 150 words)

Wednesday, 8 October

08:00-08:45 Registration (Atrium, 5th floor) / Networking Coffee (Leisure area, 5th floor)
08:45-09:00 Opening of the Conference (Conference Room, 5th floor)

SESSION 1

09:00-09:30
Matas Grubliauskas (Vilnius University Library, Lithuania)
Shaping Words and Images: Poesis Artificiosa in the Polish-Lithuanian Baroque

09:30-10:00
Beata Paškevica (National Library of Latvia, Latvia)
Johann Fischer’s Publishing Activities in Riga as a Pietistic Programme at the End of the 17th Century

10:00-10:30
Agnieszka Franczyk-Cegła (The Ossolineum National Library, Poland)
Baroque Elements in Cracow 17th-Century Typography

10:30-11:00
Milda Kvizikevičiūtė (National Museum of Lithuania, Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Lithuania)
No Pity Shown: Lithuanian Protestant Suffering in the Martyrological Imagination

11:00-11:30 Networking Coffee (Leisure area, 5th floor)

SESSION 2

11:30-12:00
Oleksandr Okhrimenko (University of Birmingham, United Kingdom)
Livonica in Daniel Salthenius’s Book Collection: Taxonomy, Circulation and Ideological Frameworks in the Baltic Region Print Culture

12:00-12:30
Sophie Turner  (Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia)
Framing Ideas: French Rococo, Typography, and the Enlightenment in the Baltic Context

12:30-13:00
Stefano Gulizia (Ca’ Foscari University, Italy)
Book Collecting in the Baltic Region: Luther’s Enchiridion in Swedish (Vilnius 1591) and its German Reception

13:00-14:30 Lunch Break

SESSION 3

14:30-15:00
Richard Šípek (National Museum Library, Czech Republic)
“Natus sum Vratislaviae … Veni Regiomontem”: Diary Notes of Andreas Aurifaber, Physician to Duke Albert of Hohenzollern

 15:00-15:30
Chloe Akers-Brewer (University of St Andrews, United Kingdom)
Wit, Wordplay and Wine: Printing for Name Day Celebrations in Early Modern Europe

15:30-16:00
Diogo Lemos (University of Coimbra, Centre for the History of Society and Culture, Portugal)
Visual Networks in Motion: Print, Patronage and Power under the Reign of John V of Portugal (1707–1750)

16:00-16:30
Androniki Dialeti (University of Thessaly, Greece)
«Committing our Lives to the Service of Humanity»: Aldus Manutius and the Self-fashioning of the Publisher as a Humanist in Renaissance Venice

17:15-18:00 Guided Tour in the exhibition for conference speakers “On Two Baroque Stars, or Sarbievius and the Artistic Poetry” (Vilnius University Library, Universiteto street 3, Vilnius)

18:15 Dinner for conference speakers

Thursday, 9 October

 08:30-09:00 Registration (Atrium, 5th floor) / Networking Coffee (Leisure area, 5th floor)

SESSION 4

09:00-09:30
Karine Durin (University of Nantes, France)
From argutia to agudeza. In Search of the Spanish Readers of De acuto et arguto

09:30-10:00
Cloé Boucon (University Lumière, Lyon, Centre Gabriel Naudé (ENSSIB), France)
The Phalsbourg genizah, a reserve of germanic Hebrew books?

10:00-10:30
Simona Inserra (University of Catania, Italy)
The library destiny of some Secreti’s imprints between 16th and 17th century Italy

10:30-11:00
Jolanda Lila (Albanian University, Albania)
A Vernacular Voice in Exile: Jul Variboba and the Arbëresh Print Culture of the 18th Century

11:00-11:30 Networking Coffee(Leisure area, 5th floor)

SESSION 5

11:30-12:00
Theodora Rontzova; Zoë Vandenhende (KU Leuven, Belgium)
ACUTUS VIRTUALIS: Printed Bodies, Virtual Worlds. Revisiting  De Humani Corporis Fabrica of Andreas Vesalius in VR.

12:00-12:30
Marie-Luce Demonet (University of Tours, France)
How to Trace Missing Slips: Paper and Glue in the Bordeaux Copy of Montaigne’s Essais (1588-1592)

12:30-13:00
Tímea N. Kis (University of Tokaj, Hungary)
Rethinking of a Book: Martin Boregk‘s Behmische Chronica and Its Unprecedented Engravings

13:00-13:30
Taisiya Leber (Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany)
Making Byzantine Orthodox Canon Law Great Again in Early Modern South-Eastern and Eastern Europe

13:30-15:00 Lunch Break

SESSION 6

15:00-15:30
Hermina G.B. Anghelescu (School of Information Sciences, Wayne State University Detroit, United States of America)
Early Printing in the Three Romanian Principalities

15:30-16:00
Silvia-Adriana Tomescu (The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Romania)
The Grammar of Memory: Cultural Ontologies for Romanian Printings from the 16th-17th Centuries

16:00-16:30
Rafał Wójcik (Adam Mickiewicz University, University Library, Poland)
The Jesuit Printing House in Poznań (1677-1773): Typographic Equipment and Aesthetic Strategies

16:30-17:00
Miroslava Soláriková (Slovak National Library, Slovakia)
Parva Schola – Slovak Literary Baroque Based on Educational Texts

17:15-18:00
Guided tour in the exhibition for conference speakers “YIVO Centennial: Origins, Journey, Legacy” (Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Gedimino Avenue 51, Exhibition hall, 3rd floor)

Friday, 10 October

08:30-09:00 Registration / Networking Coffee (Old Arsenal, Arsenalo street 3, Vilnius, Event Hall, 2nd floor)

SESSION 7

09:00-09:30
Stanislava Knapčoková (Slovak National Library, Slovakia)
Research in the Field of Historical Library Documents at the Slovak National Library

09:30-10:00
Brigita Zorkienė (Vilnius University Library, Lithuania)
The Art of Persuasion: Jesuit Print and Image (from the Collections of Vilnius University Library)

10:00-10:30
Nailya Shamgunova (University of East Anglia, United Kingdom)
English and Scottish Travellers at the Global Library, c. 1600-1700

10:30-11:00
Rita Urbaitytė (Kaunas County Public Ąžuolynas Library, Lithuania)
Sharp and accurate look at books from the Baroque age in Kaunas libraries and museums

11:00-11:30 Networking Coffee

SESSION 8

11:30-12:00
Adam Perzyński (University of Warsaw, Poland)
Why Did Radziwiłł “the Orphan” Need an Engraver? Strategies of Acquiring Engravings Around 1600 in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

12:00-12:30
Dorota Sidorowicz-Mulak (Ossolineum National Institute, Ossolineum National Library, Poland  )
Early Printed Book from Nyasvizh/Nieśwież – De sanctis angelis libellus by Tomasz Makowski (1609) in the collection of the Ossoliński National Institute

12:30-13:00
Povilas Mikalauskas (Vytautas Magnus university, Lithuania)
Lithuania in the First German Newspapers of Saxony in the 17th Century

13:00-13:30
Paweł Pietrowcew (University of St Andrews, United Kingdom)
Dissemination of Official Publications in the Kingdom of Poland, Late 16th and Early 17th Centuries

13:30-15:00 Lunch Break

15:00-16:00 Guided tour with curator in the international exhibition for conference speakers “Queens, Realms, and Emotions” (House of Histories, T. Kosciuškos Street 3, Vilnius)
15:00-16:00 Guided tour in the exposition for conference speakers “Understanding Lithuania” (Castellan’s House, Arsenalo Street 1, Vilnius) 

Format: In-person (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis).
Venue: Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Vilnius, Gediminas Ave. 51 and  National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius, Kosciuškos St. 3
Conference language: English
Duration of the presentation: 20 minutes.
Contacts: acutus.argutus@lnb.lt

Following the conference, presenters  will be invited to submit their articles for the inclusion in a  peer-reviewed volume of the proceedings.

Important dates:
Deadline for submissions: Extended 15 May 2025 / 30 April 2025
Notification of acceptance: 2 June 2025
Conference: 8–10 October 2025
Deadline for submitting presentation slides: 6 October 2025
Article submission deadline: 31 January 2026

Renāte Berga (University of Latvia)
Dr. Agnieszka Franczyk-Cegła (Ossoliński National Institute, Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL) Provenance Working Group)
Dr. Milda Kvizikevičiūtė (Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, National Museum of Lithuania)
Dr. Jolita Liškevičienė (Vilnius Academy of Arts)
Dr. Zanna van Loon (Museum Plantin-Moretus)
Gintarė Petuchovaitė (Vilnius University)
Dr. Viktorija Vaitkevičiūtė (Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania)

Conference Venues

The first two days of conference will take place at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania (Gedimino pr. 51, Vilnius).
Conference hall, 5th floor, 501 room
You can go up by taking stairs or elevator.
Find it on Google maps or Apple maps

Third day will take place in the National Museum of Lithuania, Old Arsenal (Arsenalo st. 1, Vilnius)
In the conference room on the second floor, it is accessible only by stairs.
Find it on Google maps or Apple maps

Dinner (not covered by the organizers)
La Boheme (Šv. Ignoto str.4, Vilnius)
Find it on Google maps or Apple maps

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