Show Notes: s3e120 Karen Bowen and Dirk Imhoff
In this episode, we are taking a fascinating deep dive into the history of the early print trade in Europe with distinguished authors and historians Karen Bowen and Dirk Imhof. Drawing on fifteen years of meticulous research in the archives of the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp, Karen and Dirk unpack the vast socio-economic networks that powered the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century print market. From tracking international shipping routes and historical price lists to revealing the crucial, often-overlooked roles of women in print workshops and financial transactions, this episode offers a treasure trove of insights for print historians, collectors, and enthusiasts alike. Tune in to uncover the hidden layers behind how historical prints were produced, distributed, and valued.
Workshop of Peter Paul Rubens. Christopher Plantin, 1612–16. Oil on canvas. 659 x 507 mm. Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp.
Courtyard, Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp. © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45013664
Printing presses, Museum Pantin-Moretus, Antwerp. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Museum_Plantin-Moretus_-_Antwerpen_(23747123155).jpg
Page 28 from Karen L. Bowen and Dirk Imhoff, The Burgeoning European Print Trade: The Distribution of Prints via the Plantin Moretus Press of Antwerp (London: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2025).
Cover of a Cahier de Francfort, 1606. Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp.
Cover of a Cahier de Francfort, 1594. Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp.
Dirk Imhoff with visitors to the study room at the Museum Plantin Moretus, Antwerp.
Dirk Imhoff with visitors to the study room at the Museum Plantin Moretus, Antwerp.
Curator / Podcaster / Fair Organizer
Ann Shafer is an independent curator, art historian, and a leading expert on the legacy of Stanley William Hayter and Atelier 17. As the creator and host of the Platemark podcast, she bridges the gap between technical print scholarship and the global community of artists and collectors.
Ann previously served as Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art and has held curatorial positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the National Gallery of Art. She holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MA from Williams College. Today, she channels her three decades of expertise into organizing the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, co-editing a major centennial festschrift on Atelier 17, and leading curated art history tours across Europe. (Photo credit: Becky Redett)
Show Notes: s3e119 Curtis Bartone
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