The Album Amicorum and the London of Shakespeare’s Time

The album amicorum, or book of friends, a precursor to modern-day autograph books, originated in Germany in the middle of the sixteenth century and very quickly became fashionable among students moving from one university to another in the course of their academic careers. Professors and fellow students made contributions to these albums, including inscriptions and illustrations, which were often by significant scholars or professional artists of the time.

 

This book by June Schlueter is the first full-length study in English of the album amicorum and secures its place as an insightful but under-examined genre in the study of early modern culture. Schlueter focuses specifically on the many traces of Shakespeare’s London contained in alba amicorum during the period, as scholars traveled to London and recorded their impressions and their encounters with Londoners. These selections from alba amicorum provide a perspective on the culture, politics, religion, economics, and entertainment of the sixteenth century. These firsthand insights provide an integral historical picture of early modern England.