The Idea of Work in Europe from Antiquity to Modern Times

Abstract

Contents: Preface Introduction: Historical studies in perceptions of work, Catharina Lis and Josef Ehmer. Part 1 The Heritage of Antiquity: Perceptions of work in classical antiquity: a polyphonic heritage, Catharina Lis. Part 2 Work and Identities: Reading Renaissance merchants' handbooks: confronting professional ethics and social identity, Jaume Aurell Lifting the curse: or why early modern worker autobiographers did not write about work, James S. Amelang The attitude of Milanese society to work and commercial activities. The case of the porters and the case of the elites, Luca Mocarelli. Part 3 Representations of Work in Visual Images and in Literary Texts: The visual representation of late medieval work: patterns of context, people and action, Gerhard Jaritz Representations of labour in late 16th-century Netherlandish prints: the secularization of the work ethic, Ilja M. Veldman Representing women's work in early modern Italy, Peter Burke. Part 4 Perceptions of Work in Early Modern Theory: Perceptions of work in early modern economic thought. Dutch mercantilism and central European cameralism in comparative perspective, Thomas Buchner Cultivating the landscape: the perception and description of work in 16th- to 18th-century German 'household literature' (HausvAterliteratur), Torsten Meyer Advocating for artisans: the AbbA(c) Pluche's Spectacle de la Nature (1732a 51), Cynthia J. Koepp. Part 5 Perceptions of Work and Labour Practices: The making of wages and attitudes towards labour in the crafts in early modern Central Europe, Reinhold Reith Perceptions of mobile labour and migratory practices in early modern Europe, Josef Ehmer. Part 6 Discussions and Comments: Work and identity of merchants and artisans in a larger context. Comment on Jaume Aurell and James S. Amelang, Hugo Soly Representations of labour in visual images and literary texts. Comment on Gerhard Jaritz, Ilja M. Veldman and Cynthia J. Koepp, Keith Thomas Discourse and practice, custom and market force(s): relations of dialogue and tension. Comment on Luca Mocarelli and Reinhold Reith, Steven L. Kaplan Perceptions of work, gender and migration: comment on Thomas Buchner, Josef Ehmer and Torsten Meyer, Sylvia Hahn Select bibliography Index.