Matthew Collins – författare

The Early Printed Illustrations of Dante's "Commedia" provides the first systematic overview of the earliest illustrated editions of Dante's poem, stretching from 1481 through 1596, and features over 230 illustrations.Developing a series of interdisciplinary methods for studying early printed book illustrations, Matthew Collins explores the visual sources for the first illustrated editions of the Commedia, their narrative qualities, and their influence on Renaissance readers. He traces the visual genealogies that link these images to each other and to renderings of the poem in other media, including illuminated manuscripts and drawings, such as those by Sandro Botticelli. Collins additionally delves into a group of cartographically oriented renderings of Dante's afterlife, interpreting them in the context of the Age of Exploration. He addresses the utilitarian aspect of the illustrations as well by revealing the multidimensional role that these images played for Renaissance readers, particularly emphasizing their pedagogical and mnemonic uses.Of value to numerous disciplines, The Early Printed Illustrations of Dante's "Commedia" fills a gap in Dante studies and will inspire similar investigations into the visual representation of other literary works in the age of early print.

The Early Printed Illustrations of Dante's "Commedia" provides the first systematic overview of the earliest illustrated editions of Dante's poem, stretching from 1481 through 1596, and features over 230 illustrations.Developing a series of interdisciplinary methods for studying early printed book illustrations, Matthew Collins explores the visual sources for the first illustrated editions of the Commedia, their narrative qualities, and their influence on Renaissance readers. He traces the visual genealogies that link these images to each other and to renderings of the poem in other media, including illuminated manuscripts and drawings, such as those by Sandro Botticelli. Collins additionally delves into a group of cartographically oriented renderings of Dante's afterlife, interpreting them in the context of the Age of Exploration. He addresses the utilitarian aspect of the illustrations as well by revealing the multidimensional role that these images played for Renaissance readers, particularly emphasizing their pedagogical and mnemonic uses.Of value to numerous disciplines, The Early Printed Illustrations of Dante's "Commedia" fills a gap in Dante studies and will inspire similar investigations into the visual representation of other literary works in the age of early print.

This book offers a stylistic analysis of Sir Thomas Malory’s Arthuriad, Morte Darthur, combining for the first time linguistic methods and tools to provide new readings of this canonical text. Having subjected the text to digital analysis, the author uses parallel comparison of Morte Darthur’s two earliest versions—one manuscript, one print—as a basis to explore the ways in which texts and styles develop. Such a comparison affords a unique opportunity to understand literary composition and reception at a watershed historical moment by uncovering how the text was constructed, transmitted, classified, and read. This consideration allows us to better understand the manuscript-to-print shift, the changing political landscape precipitated by the end of the Wars of the Roses, and the important literary transition from romance to the novel.This ground-breaking volume is the product of over ten years of study, drawing on the author’s work on information structuring to develop the first complete parallel digital analysis of Morte Darthur. Innovations in corpus linguistics, poetics, narratology, and stylometrics are also applied to present a comprehensive analysis of Malory’s masterpiece. Of interest to a broad academic audience including stylistics, medieval studies, literary studies and digital humanities, the book investigates key current themes in the field—language, source style, and textual unity—in ways that will engage both students getting to grips with Malory and also suggest new methods and perspectives for those familiar with the text.

“Perfect” - The Independent“this beautiful atlas will be the perfect addition to any coffee table” - Better Homes & GardensIntroducing 50 of the world's most magnificent trees for travellers and nature lovers to enjoy from the comfort of an armchair or to seek and behold in the wild.Whether taking in the beautiful cherry blossoms of Japan or a beech forest's seasonal hues in France, The Tree Atlas is the ultimate guide to discovering our planet's most amazing species of tree, as well as better understanding their role in our ever changing ecosystem, and appreciating the restorative effects of visiting these natural wonders in the flesh.Inside The Tree Atlas:50 amazing trees from around the world presented alongside exquisite photography and handy locator mapsKnowledgeable sidebar provides key vitals for each tree including its lifespan, environmental status, and height, plus tips to help you identify each speciesPractical advice on how to see each tree in the wild including where and when to goExpert authors including Matt Collins: head gardener of London's Garden Museum; and Thomas Rutter: horticulturalist and garden writer, offer fascinating insight into each tree's story and what makes it so unique and specialBeautiful bespoke illustrations throughout by Holly Exley Featured trees include: Africa and the Middle East - Carob Tree; Quiver Tree; Dragon's Blood Tree; The Americas - Sugar Maple; Monkey Puzzle, Jacaranda; Asia - Black Mulberry; Coconut Palm; Ginkgo; Europe - Silver Birch; Olive; Almond; Oceania - Karri; Rainbow Eucalyptus; Moreton Bay Fig; and many more Enjoy the calming company of trees in this inspirational guide, which makes the perfect gift or self-purchase treat for nature lovers and adventurers alike.