Paleography

The Newberry Center for Renaissance Studies provides hands-on, in-depth training in reading difficult early scripts. Every summer, we offer a multi-week institute directed by a leading scholar in paleography.

We'll begin accepting applications online around January 15 for the upcoming summer institutes. Applications will be due March 1. A letter of interest, CV, and one recommendation letter are required.

French Paleography, July 8-19, 2024

This two-week summer institute provides training in the reading and transcriptions of French manuscripts and documents from the thirteenth through the seventeenth centuries. With the goal of developing skills and techniques for working with rare and archival sources in a variety of disciplinary contexts, participants will undertake intensive study of a variety of texts representing the history of handwriting in France. Complementing this central focus on paleography, the course introduces participants to related topics including writing and reading cultures of late medieval and early modern France; and codicology, manuscript production, and material cultures of the book.

The institute enrolls 15 participants by competitive application. First consideration will be given to advanced graduate students and junior faculty in the Center for Renaissance Studies Consortium universities. Applications are accepted from advanced graduate students and junior faculty from universities, professional staff of libraries and museums, and from qualified independent scholars.

Learn More

Free online tools from the Newberry and other institutions can help you develop your paleography skills and practice them on a range of historic documents.