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.” (8–10 October 2025 Vilnius, Lithuania)

The conference will bring together scholars from diverse fields – including book history, print culture, 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, they aim to reveal new insights into early printed books and their vibrant journey across time and space.

Papers are welcome 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 facilitated 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.

Submit your application via the conference website: https://konferencijos.lnb.lt/acutus-et-argutus/

Application deadline is 15 May 2025