Digitization and scientific analysis of the graphic collection of the Eugen Diederichs Verlag in the Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Jena (ThULB)

• Applicant: Dr. Sabine Wefers
• Subject Area: Art History ; Theatre and Media Studies
• Term: from 2013 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 239028915

The collection of the Eugen Diederichs Verlag (1896-1946) in the Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Jena (ThULB) is of unique importance concerning the work and reception of one of the major German "Kulturverlage". Highlight and purpose of the project are the book graphics: 1.900 sheets with original sketches, ordered by Diederichs to optimize them for printing. There are such famous artists as Peter Behrens, Heinrich Vogeler or E. R. Weiss. Nowhere else the German literary culture has similar material, because of the fact that the works of the artists did not remain in their possession, but were saved by Eugen Diederichs (1867-1930) for his publishing house.The Eugen Diederichs Verlag is one of the so-called "Kulturverlage" from around 1900 to the Weimarer Republik. Fundamental was his identification with the book reform movement around 1900, within which Diederichs was the authoritative innovative force. The ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement were introduced by him in Germany for the first time. His publishing house won an incomparable place through a combination of new book aesthetics and quality of commercial industrialization. The processes at the interface between artists and publishers have not yet been investigated. Here the graphic collection wins extraordinary importance. Particularly concerning the Art Nouveau period it provides significant impetus.The aims of the project are the cataloguing, digitization, and scientific analysis of the graphic collection including the creation of an artist's catalogue. The project's results and the digitized images would be prepared for open access in the Universal Multimedia Electronic Library of Jena (Urmel).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants