Touching the book: embossed literature for blind people in the nineteenth century

Peltz Gallery, School of Arts, Birkbeck, University of London, 43 Gordon Square, London
Touching the book: embossed literature for blind people in the nineteenth century image
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Event has ended
This event ended on Thursday 31st of October 2013
Admission
Free
Location

Peltz Gallery, School of Arts, Birkbeck, University of London, 43 Gordon Square, London

Nearest Tube/Rail Stations
Russell Square 0.27 miles

Touching the book: Embossed literature for Blind People brings together a rich array of material, including important examples of early classbooks, spiritual guides, the first specially-commissioned embossed Bibles, writing devices, pamphlets and visual images. It details how early embossing attempts were motivated by religious desire to enable blind people to read the word of God directly through touch. This fuelled investment in embossing processes which in turn improved the quality and durability of embossed books.

Most significantly however, the development of finger-reading practices helped to create new communities of literate blind and visually-impaired people who began advocating for reading and writing systems best suited to the needs of blind people. The exhibition highlights figures in the nineteenth-century blind community who both raised the profile of and were instrumental in improving literacy for blind and visually-impaired people, including Laura Bridgman, William Moon, G.A. Hughes, Louis Braille and Thomas Rhodes Armitage.

A series of descriptive tours will be held throughout the exhibition run.

Tags: Exhibition

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