Ibn Quzmān Between Ribera, Nykl and Asín and the Newly Created Escuela de Estudios Árabes of Madrid (1932–1933)

Abstract In 1933, the newly founded Escuela de Estudios Árabes of Madrid printed Nykl’s edition of Dīwān Ibn Quzmān as its inaugural book. The Nykl papers held at the Náprstek Museum offer great insight into the working method of an orientalist of the first half of the 15th century. It is the aim of this article to demonstrate the author’s preparations and, through them, to analyze author’s working method, his relations to his predecessor Julián Ribera and reasons behind the final form of the book. The significant use of Nykl’s papers in the article demonstrates the importance of personal papers for mapping the writing and publishing processes.