Libri, formaggio e vino. Oggetti in viaggio nell’Europa protestante del primo Settecento

The essay addresses the role of objects in the correspondence networks of European Protestants of the eighteenth century. It argues that communicating material objects could influence the quality of communication over long distances. In particular, seemingly secular goods (such as cheese, among other examples) could be furnished with a religious meaning. Likewise, goods that could be seen as carrying inherently spiritual meanings (religious books, hand-written prayers) were turned into objects of material exchange. The essay thus adds to our understanding of religion, international communication, and material culture in the eighteenth century.