Because I just couldn't bore you enough with my history lesson last time-I'm gonna do it again! Some of you know that my dad was a scholar who spent much of his adult life studying an obscure 16th century printer.

Here's my dad's stats: Steven Brandt (University of California at Berkeley. Doctor of Philosophy in LIS/History of Printing and Publishing, 1992) studying Jean Girard: Genevan Publisher (1536-1557), Advisor: M. K. Duggan.

Director of Hiebert Library (Fresno Pacific College/Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary), Fresno, CA

Here's the write up of his research from Direction Journal. org:

This study treats the formation of French Protestant publishing in sixteenth-century Geneva. Unlike the period after mid-century, the foundation of the book trade in that city was the responsibility of several key individuals, the most important of whom was Jean Girard. Shaped by his Waldensian (Protestant Italian) past, Girard was sent by this heretical group to establish a printshop for the dissemination of their vernacular-based religious literature. His original vision was altered by events that affected the safety of the Waldensian community in the Piedmont (region of Italy). Girard, therefore, adapted to the evolving social and religious Genevan context, forming relationships with leading Protestant merchants.

With the return of Jean Calvin in 1541, Girard’s fortunes were increasingly tied to that famous ecclesiastical leader. The identification of Girard’s publishing program with Calvin has overshadowed other facets of Girard’s career. Tensions rooted in their radically different backgrounds did not emerge into public view until after the arrival of famous French exile printers such as Robert Estienne. This threat to his dominance in the Genevan publishing business, Girard faced unsuccessfully and he lost hold of his privileged position. Calvin, who now utilized alternative {87} outlets for publishing his prolific literary efforts, turned his back on his former publisher. Abandoned by his political support in the Genevan City Council after the defeat of the party he supported, Girard suffered a decline.

While not as large an economic enterprise as other European publishers of the period, Girard’s role as an aesthetic innovator is outlined in order to understand the fundamental role Girard played in establishing the contours of French Protestant book design. The interrelationship between the appropriation of new religious ideas and their presentation is discussed. While Girard’s printshop was beyond official French control, the activities of censorship were directly focused on his publications. Despite this, Girard’s books have been found in a geographically broad and socially varied cross-section of the French reading public.

College de Barbas, for Waldensian ministers

It an obscure niche of history but the more I learn about it from looking at the many pages of research he left behind, the more interesting it is. It sort of brings together printing history with French, Swiss, Italian and indirectly broader European history. He was very interested in the censorship aspect of the Reformation and the competition and politics btwn the reformers, as well. It was unfortunate that another scholar also began working on Girard at the same time he did. And that many important documents were burned years ago. The Waldensians themseves are an interesting group. They had to hide from the Catholic dominated authorities so they worshipped in N. Italian caves. The photo is a woodblock etching of the opening to the Guieiza, or church, cut by Paolo Paschetto, 20th century. Looking into them online I found that some of the Waldensians fled to the U.S. in the 1890's. They set up a village in North Carolina. So there's even a relevancy to U.S. history. For a good short synapsis on them go here: www.valdese.com/trail_of_faith.htm