What is it about?
In colonial times, the role of women in printing workshops is often hard to trace, as historical records typically focus on the male masters. However, a closer look at documents such as printing contracts, wills, and court cases reveals that women played a significant part in the Peruvian printing trade, even if their contributions are largely unrecognized. These documents show how women fought for printing rights, signed important contracts, or even took charge of selling workshop equipment after a family member’s death. By uncovering these hidden stories, we can gain a better understanding of the gender dynamics of the time and how women shaped the print culture, a field largely dominated by men in colonial Latin America.
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Why is it important?
The chapter uncovers the overlooked contributions of women in the colonial printing trade, challenging traditional narratives of book history. This research also deepens our understanding of gendered power dynamics in historical industries, revealing how women, even when largely excluded from the trade, could assert agency and shape cultural production.
Perspectives
No woman's name appears in any surviving colonial Peruvian imprints from the first publication in 1584 until the onset of the Independence era in 1821. This absence of female recognition and my curiosity about the hidden contributions of women in the colonial printing trade became the driving force behind this research.
Agnes Gehbald
University of Bern
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Women in the Workshop: Property Structure, Print Culture, and Female Management in Colonial Peru, November 2024, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004701656_005.
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