Penn Material Texts
@pennmaterialtexts.bsky.social
Workshop in the History of Material Texts @upenn.edu / founded by Peter Stallybrass in 1993, now directed by @zacharylesser.bsky.social, John Pollack, and Jerry Singerman / Mondays, 5:15pm / in person in the Kislak Center, and on Zoom / All welcome
📜 Join us this Monday as we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with John Bidwell (Morgan Library & Museum), speaking on “Printed Declarations: Life, Liberty, Editions, Issues, and States.”
Feb 9 • 🕔 5:15 PM EST • In person @Penn + Zoom
📍 pennmaterialtexts.org
Feb 9 • 🕔 5:15 PM EST • In person @Penn + Zoom
📍 pennmaterialtexts.org
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 AM
📜 Join us this Monday as we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with John Bidwell (Morgan Library & Museum), speaking on “Printed Declarations: Life, Liberty, Editions, Issues, and States.”
Feb 9 • 🕔 5:15 PM EST • In person @Penn + Zoom
📍 pennmaterialtexts.org
Feb 9 • 🕔 5:15 PM EST • In person @Penn + Zoom
📍 pennmaterialtexts.org
Today! Priya Nambrath (University of Pennsylvania), will present on “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
🗓️ February 2 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
🗓️ February 2 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
February 2, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Today! Priya Nambrath (University of Pennsylvania), will present on “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
🗓️ February 2 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
🗓️ February 2 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
Next up! This Monday, February 2, 5:15pm ✨
Priya Nambrath (Fellow in the History of Material Texts, University of Pennsylvania) will be talking about “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
In person and on Zoom
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
Would love to see you there!
Priya Nambrath (Fellow in the History of Material Texts, University of Pennsylvania) will be talking about “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
In person and on Zoom
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
Would love to see you there!
January 28, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Next up! This Monday, February 2, 5:15pm ✨
Priya Nambrath (Fellow in the History of Material Texts, University of Pennsylvania) will be talking about “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
In person and on Zoom
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
Would love to see you there!
Priya Nambrath (Fellow in the History of Material Texts, University of Pennsylvania) will be talking about “Scribal Worlds in Motion: Loss, Identity, Afterlives.”
In person and on Zoom
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
Would love to see you there!
Tomorrow! The Workshop in the History of Material Texts welcomes Adrian Johns for a talk on “Looking for Labels: The Science of Safety and the Defenders of Information.”
❄️ Zoom only due to the snow.
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
Stay warm, log in from your couch, and let the archives travel to you! ❄️📚
❄️ Zoom only due to the snow.
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
Stay warm, log in from your couch, and let the archives travel to you! ❄️📚
January 25, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Tomorrow! The Workshop in the History of Material Texts welcomes Adrian Johns for a talk on “Looking for Labels: The Science of Safety and the Defenders of Information.”
❄️ Zoom only due to the snow.
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
Stay warm, log in from your couch, and let the archives travel to you! ❄️📚
❄️ Zoom only due to the snow.
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
Stay warm, log in from your couch, and let the archives travel to you! ❄️📚
🟡🎶 Tomorrow, 5:15 PM EST!
✨📜 Final Fall ’25 seminar with Emily Green on “Bad Candles, Glasses, Earthquakes & Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error c.1770.”
🌐 Hybrid event — details at pennmaterialtexts.org.
✨📜 Final Fall ’25 seminar with Emily Green on “Bad Candles, Glasses, Earthquakes & Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error c.1770.”
🌐 Hybrid event — details at pennmaterialtexts.org.
December 1, 2025 at 1:40 AM
🟡🎶 Tomorrow, 5:15 PM EST!
✨📜 Final Fall ’25 seminar with Emily Green on “Bad Candles, Glasses, Earthquakes & Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error c.1770.”
🌐 Hybrid event — details at pennmaterialtexts.org.
✨📜 Final Fall ’25 seminar with Emily Green on “Bad Candles, Glasses, Earthquakes & Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error c.1770.”
🌐 Hybrid event — details at pennmaterialtexts.org.
♫ Final seminar of the season!
This Mon, Dec 1 · 5:15 PM EST, we welcome Emily Green for
“Of Bad Candles and Glasses, Earthquakes, and Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error around 1770.” 🎶
🔥 Don’t miss this one — in person at Penn & on Zoom.
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
This Mon, Dec 1 · 5:15 PM EST, we welcome Emily Green for
“Of Bad Candles and Glasses, Earthquakes, and Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error around 1770.” 🎶
🔥 Don’t miss this one — in person at Penn & on Zoom.
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
♫ Final seminar of the season!
This Mon, Dec 1 · 5:15 PM EST, we welcome Emily Green for
“Of Bad Candles and Glasses, Earthquakes, and Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error around 1770.” 🎶
🔥 Don’t miss this one — in person at Penn & on Zoom.
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
This Mon, Dec 1 · 5:15 PM EST, we welcome Emily Green for
“Of Bad Candles and Glasses, Earthquakes, and Headaches: Reasons for Musical Error around 1770.” 🎶
🔥 Don’t miss this one — in person at Penn & on Zoom.
Details: pennmaterialtexts.org
✨ Join us this Monday as we dive into the vibrant world of cloth, color, and text!
We’re welcoming Sylvia Houghteling (Bryn Mawr College) for a talk titled “To Dye a Page, to Weave a Book: Cloth Materials and Texts in South Asia.”
🗓️ Nov 24 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
We’re welcoming Sylvia Houghteling (Bryn Mawr College) for a talk titled “To Dye a Page, to Weave a Book: Cloth Materials and Texts in South Asia.”
🗓️ Nov 24 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
November 19, 2025 at 1:10 PM
✨ Join us this Monday as we dive into the vibrant world of cloth, color, and text!
We’re welcoming Sylvia Houghteling (Bryn Mawr College) for a talk titled “To Dye a Page, to Weave a Book: Cloth Materials and Texts in South Asia.”
🗓️ Nov 24 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
We’re welcoming Sylvia Houghteling (Bryn Mawr College) for a talk titled “To Dye a Page, to Weave a Book: Cloth Materials and Texts in South Asia.”
🗓️ Nov 24 • 5:15 PM EST • Hybrid
🔗 pennmaterialtexts.org
We welcome Prof. Francesco Marco Aresu, as he takes us on a deep dive into Scribe 106's elusive body of work - tomorrow at 5:15pm EST. We hope you can join us!
In person and on zoom - details at pennmaterialtexts.org
In person and on zoom - details at pennmaterialtexts.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:08 AM
We welcome Prof. Francesco Marco Aresu, as he takes us on a deep dive into Scribe 106's elusive body of work - tomorrow at 5:15pm EST. We hope you can join us!
In person and on zoom - details at pennmaterialtexts.org
In person and on zoom - details at pennmaterialtexts.org
Next up in our seminar series, this Monday, November 17, at 5:15 pm EST, we are thrilled to welcome Francesco Marco Aresu who will speak on "Scribe 106: The Portfolio of a Florentine Humanistic Scribe."
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
November 12, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Next up in our seminar series, this Monday, November 17, at 5:15 pm EST, we are thrilled to welcome Francesco Marco Aresu who will speak on "Scribe 106: The Portfolio of a Florentine Humanistic Scribe."
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
Hope you can join us for this talk! Attend either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or remotely on Zoom. (See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.)
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Hope you can join us for this talk! Attend either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or remotely on Zoom. (See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.)
At our next meeting on Monday, November 10, at 5:15pm, we welcome Prof. Kate Meng Brassel to the workshop, for a talk titled “Binding and the Discipline: Some Paths around the Classics.”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM
At our next meeting on Monday, November 10, at 5:15pm, we welcome Prof. Kate Meng Brassel to the workshop, for a talk titled “Binding and the Discipline: Some Paths around the Classics.”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
For our next talk, we are thrilled to welcome Sonja Drimmer (UMass Amherst) for a talk titled: “Optics: Heraldry and the Preprint History of Print.”
Monday, November 3 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
Monday, November 3 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
October 30, 2025 at 1:04 AM
For our next talk, we are thrilled to welcome Sonja Drimmer (UMass Amherst) for a talk titled: “Optics: Heraldry and the Preprint History of Print.”
Monday, November 3 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
Monday, November 3 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
This Monday, October 27 at 5:15 PM ET, we look forward to welcoming Josh Mugler to the History of Material Texts workshop for a talk titled “Manuscripts and Violence in Modern Mesopotamia”
At in person at Penn & on Zoom- hope to see you there! See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
At in person at Penn & on Zoom- hope to see you there! See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
October 22, 2025 at 10:42 PM
This Monday, October 27 at 5:15 PM ET, we look forward to welcoming Josh Mugler to the History of Material Texts workshop for a talk titled “Manuscripts and Violence in Modern Mesopotamia”
At in person at Penn & on Zoom- hope to see you there! See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
At in person at Penn & on Zoom- hope to see you there! See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
Hope to see you at this event tomorrow at 5:15 PM EST - either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library or remotely on Zoom! (See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.)
October 20, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Hope to see you at this event tomorrow at 5:15 PM EST - either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library or remotely on Zoom! (See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.)
This Monday, October 20 at 5:15 PM ET, we are thrilled to welcome Caroline Duroselle-Melish to the workshop for a talk titled “The Many Lives of Renaissance Woodblocks: The Case of Ulisse Aldrovandi's Collection.”
At Penn & on Zoom: See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
At Penn & on Zoom: See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
October 16, 2025 at 2:02 AM
This Monday, October 20 at 5:15 PM ET, we are thrilled to welcome Caroline Duroselle-Melish to the workshop for a talk titled “The Many Lives of Renaissance Woodblocks: The Case of Ulisse Aldrovandi's Collection.”
At Penn & on Zoom: See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
At Penn & on Zoom: See pennmaterialtexts.org for details.
Monday, October 6 at 5:15PM ET, we welcome Dee E. Andrews & Christopher S. Parmenter to the workshop for a talk titled “Thomas Clarkson’s Latin Essay: Radical Antislavery, Classical Reception, and Abolitionist Print in the Age of Revolution."
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
October 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Monday, October 6 at 5:15PM ET, we welcome Dee E. Andrews & Christopher S. Parmenter to the workshop for a talk titled “Thomas Clarkson’s Latin Essay: Radical Antislavery, Classical Reception, and Abolitionist Print in the Age of Revolution."
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
This event with Jean-Christophe Cloutier takes place tomorrow at 5:15 PM Eastern, on the 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). Hope to see you there!
(Pics: The Maggie Cassidy notebooks. Source: Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the NYPL)
(Pics: The Maggie Cassidy notebooks. Source: Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the NYPL)
September 28, 2025 at 10:08 PM
This event with Jean-Christophe Cloutier takes place tomorrow at 5:15 PM Eastern, on the 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). Hope to see you there!
(Pics: The Maggie Cassidy notebooks. Source: Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the NYPL)
(Pics: The Maggie Cassidy notebooks. Source: Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the NYPL)
Monday, September 29 at 5:15 PM ET, we will welcome Jean-Christophe Cloutier to the workshop for a talk titled “These thoughts were all in French, almost untranslatable”: The Bilingual Manuscript Notebooks of Kerouac’s Maggie Cassidy.
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
September 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Monday, September 29 at 5:15 PM ET, we will welcome Jean-Christophe Cloutier to the workshop for a talk titled “These thoughts were all in French, almost untranslatable”: The Bilingual Manuscript Notebooks of Kerouac’s Maggie Cassidy.
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At Penn & on Zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
This Monday, September 22, at 5:15pm, we welcome Megan Heffernan to the workshop, for a talk titled "Between Libraries: The Maintenance of Early Modernity”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
September 17, 2025 at 11:38 AM
This Monday, September 22, at 5:15pm, we welcome Megan Heffernan to the workshop, for a talk titled "Between Libraries: The Maintenance of Early Modernity”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
At our next meeting on Monday, September 15, at 5:15pm, we welcome Prof. Sophia Rosenfeld to the workshop, for a talk titled "The Age of Choice Technology.”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
At our next meeting on Monday, September 15, at 5:15pm, we welcome Prof. Sophia Rosenfeld to the workshop, for a talk titled "The Age of Choice Technology.”
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
In-person and on zoom! Full details at: pennmaterialtexts.org
Our Fall 2025 History of Material Texts seminar series kicks off this Monday, Sep. 8, at 5:15pm! We welcome Dr. Anne Tiballi, Penn Museum's Director of Academic Engagement. She will speak on "Text, Language, Object: The Utility of Textual Thinking in the Study of Archaeological Materials."
September 6, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Our Fall 2025 History of Material Texts seminar series kicks off this Monday, Sep. 8, at 5:15pm! We welcome Dr. Anne Tiballi, Penn Museum's Director of Academic Engagement. She will speak on "Text, Language, Object: The Utility of Textual Thinking in the Study of Archaeological Materials."
For our next talk, we are thrilled to welcome Jana Dambrogio (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for a talk titled: “Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter.”
Monday, April 14 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, DM for details!
Monday, April 14 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, DM for details!
April 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM
For our next talk, we are thrilled to welcome Jana Dambrogio (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for a talk titled: “Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter.”
Monday, April 14 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, DM for details!
Monday, April 14 at 5:15 PM Eastern — 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library (and on Zoom). As always, DM for details!
At our next meeting, our brilliant and wonderful graduate fellow, Peter Diamond, will present his research: “‘Inscriptions of Sundry Sorts’: Literacy, Populism, and Early American Epigraphic Culture.”
Monday 3/31 at 5:15 PM, in-person (Penn's Van Pelt Library, 6th floor) & on Zoom — DM for details!
Monday 3/31 at 5:15 PM, in-person (Penn's Van Pelt Library, 6th floor) & on Zoom — DM for details!
March 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM
At our next meeting, our brilliant and wonderful graduate fellow, Peter Diamond, will present his research: “‘Inscriptions of Sundry Sorts’: Literacy, Populism, and Early American Epigraphic Culture.”
Monday 3/31 at 5:15 PM, in-person (Penn's Van Pelt Library, 6th floor) & on Zoom — DM for details!
Monday 3/31 at 5:15 PM, in-person (Penn's Van Pelt Library, 6th floor) & on Zoom — DM for details!
This Monday at 5:15 PM ET, the founder of our workshop, Peter Stallybrass, returns to give his talk: “Printers’ Waste: Fanny Hill and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.”
Please join us either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or on Zoom (DM us for the link)!
Please join us either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or on Zoom (DM us for the link)!
March 15, 2025 at 12:38 PM
This Monday at 5:15 PM ET, the founder of our workshop, Peter Stallybrass, returns to give his talk: “Printers’ Waste: Fanny Hill and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.”
Please join us either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or on Zoom (DM us for the link)!
Please join us either in-person on the sixth floor of Penn's Van Pelt Library, or on Zoom (DM us for the link)!
Monday, March 3 at 5:15 PM ET, we will welcome Marissa Nicosia (@nicosiamarissa.bsky.social) to the workshop for a talk called “Shakespeare in the Kitchen: Culinary Metaphor, Cookbooks, and Recipe Recreation.”
At Penn & on Zoom — DM for info!
(Strawberry photos courtesy of @gaypanek.bsky.social)
At Penn & on Zoom — DM for info!
(Strawberry photos courtesy of @gaypanek.bsky.social)
February 27, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Monday, March 3 at 5:15 PM ET, we will welcome Marissa Nicosia (@nicosiamarissa.bsky.social) to the workshop for a talk called “Shakespeare in the Kitchen: Culinary Metaphor, Cookbooks, and Recipe Recreation.”
At Penn & on Zoom — DM for info!
(Strawberry photos courtesy of @gaypanek.bsky.social)
At Penn & on Zoom — DM for info!
(Strawberry photos courtesy of @gaypanek.bsky.social)