Jesuit Attitudes Toward Printers and Printing in Early Modern Italy

Abstract

The Society of Jesus engaged with the medium of print almost from its inception and, as in other fields, according to its own way of proceeding. This article studies two aspects of Jesuit engagement with print, using its Italian assistancy as a case study. In the first part, Jesuit attitudes towards printing technology—its dangers and opportunities—are examined, focusing especially on the relationship between Robert Bellarmine and some of his printers. What emerges is an overriding concern for accuracy: the need to disseminate texts without typographical errors in order to avoid misinterpretations and possible accusations of heresy. The second part of the article analyzes one possible solution to this difficulty: Jesuit attempts, at the Roman College and elsewhere, at managing their own printing presses. As these efforts regularly ended in economic failure, they bring into question the traditional view of Jesuits as skilled administrators.