Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: BRUNO DUARTE MOITA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : BRUNO DUARTE MOITA
DATE: 28/04/2025
TIME: 15:00
LOCAL: Campus I - Nova Suíça
TITLE:

THE EDGE OF HISTORY

A classification of margins in books from the 15th to the 21st century

KEY WORDS:

Margin; Text block; Edition; Book design; His

PAGES: 79
BIG AREA: Lingüística, Letras e Artes
AREA: Letras
SUBÁREA: Literatura Comparada
SUMMARY:

This dissertation investigates the role of margins in the graphic design of codex-printed
books, proposing a critical classification that transcends traditional approaches focused
on aesthetic or ergonomic functions. Addressing the theoretical gap in editorial studies, it
argues that the margin is an active paratextual space capable of communicating editorial
intentions and engaging with sociocultural, technological, and aesthetic contexts.
Methodologically, the study combines Soviet comparativism—which examines elements
within their contexts—with Régis Debray’s mediology, linking medium, culture, and
technology. The research establishes seven margin classes (mathematical, illuminated,
annotated, economic, allusive, illustrated, and responsive), analyzed through a corpus
spanning the 15th to the 21st centuries and including designers such as Johannes
Gutenberg, Aldo Manuzio, the Elsevier family, William Morris, Jan Tschichold, and
Giovanna Cianelli. The analysis demonstrates how each class reflects specific editorial
intentions: in incunabula, Gutenberg’s illuminated margins adapt to an audience
accustomed to manuscripts, while Manuzio’s annotated margins align with Renaissance
humanist ideals. The dissertation thus reveals that the margin is not a passive element
but an expressive instrument that interacts with editorial trends, technological innovations,
and cultural transformations—from Gutenberg’s Revolution to the digital age. By
proposing an unprecedented theoretical framework, this work serves as a tool for critical
analysis of historical and contemporary editions, while guiding designers in aligning
margins with editorial intentions in new books. It reaffirms the margin as a central element
in the materiality of this historical object, bridging contemporary experimentation and
dialogue with his

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - WAGNER JOSE MOREIRA
Interno - ROGERIO BARBOSA DA SILVA
Externo ao Programa - MARIO VINICIUS RIBEIRO GONCALVES
Externo à Instituição - EMERSON NUNES ELLER - UFMG