Digital Resuscitation of the Officina Plantiniana's Woodblock Collection: Goals, Approaches, and Results

A groundbreaking digitization of the Officina Plantiniana's woodblock collection, comprising nearly 14,000 blocks from the Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex in Antwerp, has unveiled hidden details invisible in printed images. By analyzing recessed areas of the blocks, researchers have exposed traces of the artist’s hand and other elements erased during printing, offering new insights into early modern illustration techniques. This digital resurrection employs multi-image comparison, high-resolution zooming, and manipulation of size, color, and contrast to enhance subtle features. The work-in-progress project promises to redefine our understanding of ephemeral artistic processes from this pivotal period.

Van den Bossche, J. (2025). Digital Resuscitation of the Officina Plantiniana’s Woodblock Collection: Goals, Approaches, and Results. Reassessing Epistemic Images in the Early Modern World, 109–128. https://doi.org/10.5117/9789463723350_ch05