PROF. SOFIA ORSINO
Category A.A. 2026 - 2027 / Laurea / ITALIAN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE STUDIES
- Docente: Sofia Orsino
Personal profile: Sofia Orsino
Sofia Orsino
Courses
This module focuses on the histories and trajectories of two remarkable handwritten artefacts stolen by the nineteenth-century savant, bibliophile, and bibliomaniac Guglielmo Libri. While holding positions in European libraries and archives, Libri exploited his access to steal manuscripts and archival documents from the very institutions in which he worked. Much of his later life was devoted to selling these materials to private collectors and public institutions across France, England, and Italy.
Using these stolen items as a microhistorical lens, the module explores the histories of archives and libraries across time and space. The course examines ownership notes, archival and library stamps, ex libris, and other material traces connected to the history of manuscripts and documents. Students will acquire key terminology and methodological tools for working with handwritten sources and conducting research in both physical and digital archives and libraries. Additionally, students will be encouraged to reflect on and collectively discuss the risks and challenges surrounding documentary heritage.
Using these stolen items as a microhistorical lens, the module explores the histories of archives and libraries across time and space. The course examines ownership notes, archival and library stamps, ex libris, and other material traces connected to the history of manuscripts and documents. Students will acquire key terminology and methodological tools for working with handwritten sources and conducting research in both physical and digital archives and libraries. Additionally, students will be encouraged to reflect on and collectively discuss the risks and challenges surrounding documentary heritage.
Category A.A. 2026 - 2027 / Laurea Magistrale / SCIENZE STORICHE
- Docente: Sofia Orsino