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About Print Culture

About Print Culture

The 18th century marked a transitional period in the print trades. Print culture had always been an important form of cultural information, disseminating knowledge, representations and discourses. The materials covered in print were various in subject and nature, ranging from conventional ideas to controversial ideology. An increasing interest in the nature and subject of print fostered a sense of nation-wide identity, marked by a common interest in and by the reading public.

In the past, the ability to print and publish had been the property of certain classes, divided by gender, and highly commercialized. During the 18th century, it became closely affiliated with the professional middle class. Professional classes were responsible for creating and digesting most of the print materials available at this time, particularly because many of them worked as specialists in the production or interpretation of writings, such as scriptures, official documents, and legislation. Furthermore, it was important for the professional middle class to be aware of the communication available to maintain discourse and reproduce their thoughts for the greater public to explore.

Many books in this time were focused on non-traditionaly, or "revolutionary", ideas and concepts. These types of challenging books were the most popular in the 18th century, mainly because of the air of change that existed - these pieces supported the transformative atmosphere. In France, for example, the most popular books were those that supported the Enlightenment, mainly because it challenged the existing order. While these types of books were looked at negatively, they were wildly popular because they were so controversial.

Read more about the importance and influence of women in print culture.