Paper: How it is made, and what it is made from in the 16th Century

“Get me the ink and paper.” Cleopatra demands in Antony and Cleopatra (I.5) In Henry IV Part I, Peto says “Nothing but papers, my lord.” (II.4) These are just two of over 100 references to paper in Shakespeare's plays, with characters reading papers, carrying papers, delivering them, and of course, writing on papers. Naturally, the technology of paper itself isn’t that remarkable, being centuries older than Shakespeare, but what is surprising is that in addition to over 100 references to paper, Shakespeare’s plays also contain references to parchment, with Hamlet himself asking if parchment was made from sheepskins. There’s even a reference in Cymbeline to tablets. These words suggest that paper and parchment were common for Shakespeare’s lifetime, but as far as paper like material goes, there’s also canvas that some of the most famous 16th-17th century paintings were prepared upon, along with vellum, linen, and even wax tablets. With all of these options for what to write on, I wanted to learn more about how paper was made, what it was made from, whether Hamlet was right about parchment and sheep, and to know which of these options was most popular, and why. That’s why we are delighted to welcome Cathy Baker to the show today to help us explore the history of paper, vellum, and canvas, from Shakespeare’s lifetime.  

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