The library of the Order of St Augustine in the Lesser Town of Prague, comprising more than 18,000 volumes, is an extraordinary book set of significant scientific and historical value. Nevertheless, a scientific study that would cover the entire history of the library was not available until now. This article provides a brief outline of the history of the monastic library at St Thomas, mentioning some remarkable figures that have contributed to its prosperity. The introductory part brings information on the binding rules governing the librarian practice in the monastic libraries of the Order of Saint Augustine in the Middle Ages. Because of the long time span, this treatise has been divided into two parts - the medieval and modern history of the library. Particular attention is paid to two periods - the 14th and 18th centuries, during which some members of the Order held leading positions at the university in Prague and, through their pastoral, preaching and educational activities, they were actively involved in the social, cultural and spiritual edification of broad social classes., Veronika Sladká., Obsahuje anglický abstrakt a shrnutí., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This study focuses on the early modern history of the monastic library of the Order of St Augustine at St Thomas in Prague. On the basis of archival sources (monastic chronicles, the catalogue of the members of the Order) and research into provenances in extant collections, this paper primarily aims to map the development of the Augustinian library in the 16th and 17th centuries. Provenance research has discovered that the monastic library was mainly used for monastic studies and for preaching and pastoral activities of the Augustinians. The research into book provenances has revealed numerous personal ties between the Lesser Town Augustinians and people at the court of Rudolph II. The results of the archival and provenance research have not confirmed the hypothesis of the complete looting of the library at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, but neither have they clearly proved the true extent of the losses suffered by the library. The research has shown the primary role of the library within the Order of St Augustine in the Czech lands and has indicated the position of the library in a broader social and cultural context., Veronika Sladká., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Small typographic elements such as pilcrows, pointing fingers, and type-ornaments optically separated the typeset and helped the reader to grasp the text. The latter also boosted the aesthetic quality of the printed work. However, whether such material occurs in a book and to what extent varies with time, genre, and printing house. Any specific use reflects not only the typesetter practice but can also indicate the intentions of the particular printer (printing house) or reading habits of the intended readership. Considering that the Brethren bishops carefully scrutinised and supervised every edition printed in their illegal printing house in Ivančice (South Moravia), one can assume a thoughtful and discreet attitude towards the content, likewise the typography. The present study explores the visual practices adopted by the Brethren for the typesetting of hymnbooks, Bibles, and confessions. The aim is to provide a detailed account of the design and function of the Brethren pilcrows and printers’ ornaments based on a typography analysis of all known pieces printed between 1562-1578 on the Brethren press. The results provide strong evidence that the Brethren developed a sophisticated typographical system to strengthen and partly to reform the Brethren liturgy. The unique way of the Brethren for marking stanzas and repetition within the printed hymns using pilcrows and “trefoil” is an entirely new finding. Whatsmore, a comparison of the Brethren’s book with similar production published by the local printers indicates unprecedented precision of the Brethren’s typesetters devoted to the graphic design of the liturgical texts (hymnbooks, Bibles). Considering the extant historical sources, the outcomes presented here indicate a systematic effort to implement a unified order into Brethren liturgy urged by the leading Brethren bishops., Veronika Sladká., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy