Elena Laura Jakobi

Elena Jakobi is a PhD candidate at the Department of Art History with a doctoral thesis (supervised by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Raphael Rosenberg) on the art and cultural history of marbled paper in early modern Europe, which focuses on historical contemporary discourses on the perception, dissemination and use of this art genre based on early modern printed and manuscript sources, as well as analysing reflections in graphic media, such as paintings or engravings.
She studied History (BA), with a term abroad at the Freie Universität Berlin (2019), and then Art History (MA) at the University of Vienna, where she graduated in 2024 with a master-thesis, supervised by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Raphael Rosenberg, on the genesis of terms describing marbled paper in the early modern period (Wie Wolken, Marmor und Meer – Begriffsgenese, Entwicklung und Differenzierung Marmorpapiere beschreibender Termini 1550-1800). During her studies she also completed internships in auction houses and currently works in an antiquarian bookshop.

Research interests: marbled and decorated paper, book studies, early modern period, cultural history, social history, provenance research

Current research project: Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte des marmorierten Papiers in Europa – Wahrnehmung, Verbreitung, Verwendung und Reflexionen in grafischen Medien (1550-1800)/Art and cultural history of marbled paper in Europe - perception, dissemination, use and reflections in graphic media (1550-1800)

Marbled paper as a medium and art genre oscillates between characteristics of paper-based drawing and the design techniques of painting with the application of colour to a support, although the colour-application is indirect here. The aim of this doctoral project is to trace the path of marbled paper from being a rare souvenir and in Europe previously unknown object around 1550 to how it became a popular widespread component for early modern bookbinders, especially as a material for bindings and end papers. Contemporary printed and manuscript sources in different languages from 1550 to 1800 will be analysed in order to understand the historical regional dissemination, ways of use, aesthetical perception and changing status of marbled paper as an art genre and collectible. In addition, another focus will be placed on the graphic reflections of marbled paper in other visual media, especially painting.
This project covers a 250 years development-period from the first emerge of marbled paper in Europe around 1550 to its local production in specialized workshops, which then supplied bookbinders in the 18th century and, associated with the use in the book production, led to the wide dissemination of marbled paper around 1800, when presumably every bibliophilic person had at least once seen or even touched and owned marbled paper in one form or the other.