“The Radical Creativity of Early Modern Antiquarianism”
This talk delves into the geographical and historical epic Poly-Olbion, a collaborative tome by poet Michael Drayton, historian John Selden, and engraver William Hole, arguing that early modern books served as
immersive and sensory forms of antiquarian reenactment —attempts to resurrect and interact with the past directly. In the process of bringing the past to life, the book’s authors frequently confront lacunae, or moments where
the story remains unknown. Filling historical gaps with florid imaginary narratives is the radically creative task of the antiquarian, made vivid particularly by the material technology of the early modern printed book.