A Contribution to the History of the Jesuit Press in Manila through a Study of Graphic Art (1622–1768)

Abstract

This research note compiles insights on the history of the Jesuit press in Manila drawn from the study of its graphic features. Using an inventory of the assets of the Jesuit press produced during the 1768 expulsion, I found hints on the process of printing in eighteenth-century Manila. I gathered more information by cataloging the graphic elements used by the Jesuit press during this period. This study of graphic art and the processes involved in creating it reveals patterns and irregularities that either support previous claims about the Jesuit press or prompt its reinvestigation.

KEYWORDS: PRINTING • MANILA • GRAPHIC ART • JESUIT PRESS • ENGRAVING