Loading...

THE REVIVAL OF BOOKS

BOOK RESTORATION AND BINDING

ANA JESSEN

A passion for thorough book restoration.

I’ve always had a special interest and sensitivity towards art and culture. I wanted to study Architecture but since technical drawing was not my forte, I opted for the History of Art. It was during my degree that I discovered the importance of the conservation processes of cultural heritage and my love for books as works of art.

 

During my travels I have always liked discovering the art and culture of Spain and the rest of the world.

WORKSHOP

Books that are revived as cultural jewels

To me, repairing, binding, beautifying, and conserving any ancient book is a commitment and challenge that gives me great satisfaction.
 
Thanks to cutting-edge criteria and using techniques where much progress has been made today, the constant challenge is transforming the state of a work of art that, for one reason or other, is in a deteriorated condition. Craft, gentleness and thoroughness are the parameters that revive a piece of art in order to ensure that it may continue transmitting culture.
 
When I receive a book that is in bad condition to restore, I analyse and assess the damage and aetiology, I take photographs and document the book in order to recover it bit by bit respecting all the elements that it is made up of. Once I have completed the task, I document it via reports and photographs.

Conserving and recovering the lost areas is essential, both in books that are bound with wooden or paper supports covered with leather from the 12th to 15th centuries, or cardboard covered with leather or industrial supports from the 19th century.For books that are not properly bound due to the passing of time and use, I create a new binding, fully respecting the artistic style of the era to which the book belongs.
 
At the workshop, I work withall types of  books, both old and new ones that belong to booksellers, bibliophiles and public and private libraries.
 
Passion, love and interest are what drive me to want to conserve and preserve Spain’s bibliographical heritage and restore library repositories that have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites

An art/profession that combines thoroughness, gentleness and aesthetic

Bookbinding is aimed at uniting and protecting the body of a book, whether it’s made of paper, parchment or papyrus. Thanks to this task, important cultural treasures have been preserved to this day. Modern technology and the digital era have turned bookbinding into a mechanical process with less human intervention.
 
I bind works made of paper, leather, fabric and parchment, of all styles in the history of art: mudéjar, gothic, plateresque, romanticism, and also contemporary works. Book-shaped boxes and cases. The raw materials I use are of the highest quality and the products are 100% natural: pigskin, cow leather, chagrin and oasis goatskin, vellum, parchment, hemp thread, cotton and linen. Acid free paper and fabric. A balanced combination of thoroughness, gentleness and aesthetic are essential for achieving beautiful and creative bookbinding.

The workshop is fully equipped with the most suitable facilities to carry out the whole bookbinding process, from start to finish.
 
I provide anyone who needs to bind one of their dearest books with a service that restores it while preserving and respecting the essence of the book and taking their objectives and preferences into account.

Conserving and preserving spain’s bibliographical heritage.

RESTORING AND CONSERVING SPAIN’S BIBLIOGRAPHICAL HERITAGE
I assess and conserve ancient libraries, archives and books from the National Library Heritage. My work is promoted and financed by national national Foundations and Companies.
 
ANCIENT LIBRARIES FROM SPAIN’S HERITAGE
I have restored several ancient libraries and am currently restoring those of San Millán de la Cogolla (the cradle of the Castillian language), the San Isidoro Collegiate Church Library and the Library of Health Sciences of the Cádiz University of Medicine.

SPONSORSHIPS FOR REVIVING SPAIN’S BIBLIOGRAPHICAL CULTURE
Today it is crucially important that the jewels that transmit Spain’s historic memory are preserved by restoring, maintaining, and caring for the documentation. Encouragement and financial support from companies and sponsorship foundations are necessary to carry out this task.
.

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MY WORK

Ana Jessen, an expert in restoration, has been collaborating with the Monastery of Yuso, in San Millán de la Cogolla, for 14 years now. Thanks to our dedication and experience, as well as to our capacity and commitment to raise funds from different companies, our library, the cradle of the Castilian language, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, has managed to preserve and improve documents of great historical value.

In this effort to preserve and restore our library, we continue to fully rely on Ana Jessen’s professionalism and rigour. She has shown great care and sensitivity, avoiding aggressive actions and always giving priority to preserving and respecting the original work. She deals with books and documents as if they were living organisms.

Pedro Merino - Prior of the Monastery of Yuso - San Millán de la Cogolla

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MY WORK

The Board of the San Isidoro de León Museum would like to highlight the work carried out by Ana Jessen, to whom we have entrusted the restoration of the bookbindings of 8 of our most precious codices. We rely on her professionalism, and we would like to outline how she always tries to preserve and maintain the works rather than using other techniques which are more aggressive. Therefore, she deserves our full endorsement.

Raquel Jaén - Director of the San Isidoro Museum - León

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MY WORK

The historical collection of the University of Cádiz features approximately 15,000 volumes, published from 1550 to 1900. The University Library developed a plan to restore, preserve, digitalise and promote these volumes. Ana Jessen’s support and professionalism should be noted in this regard. She has restored various books that belong to the University’s historical collection, and has also provided her advice on the preservation of these volumes which, due to their characteristics and age, are part of the Spanish documentary and book heritage. Accordingly, they must undergo a special treatment.

Ricardo Chamorro Rodríguez - Head of The Library and Archive Department of the University of Cádiz

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MY WORK

From the beginning of its second stage, in 1986, the Residencia de Estudiantes has been expanding and increasing its documentary collection by adding numerous archives, libraries and documentary collections, both personal and institutional, that represent a precious historical collection on the Silver Age of Spanish culture, linked to the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, the Junta para Ampliación de Estudios and the centres it created.

Ana Jessen has collaborated with the Residencia de Estudiantes from the very beginning of this documentary recovery and preservation project, by developing restoration and bookbinding processes. Her work, always satisfactory, stands out for her rigour and good judgement, and for the thoroughness and care she puts in every process, as well as for the use of natural materials and her respect for the original works.

Rosario Romero - Deputy Director of the Residencia de Estudiantes

TESTIMONIALS ABOUT MY WORK

Ana Jessen is, beyond any doubt, one of the best Spanish bookbinders. As a private client, I believe that she has the necessary technical and cultural knowledge to design the most appropriate binding taking into account the era to which the requested book belongs and carry out the process impeccably. Her prices may not be cheap, but they are reasonable.

Javier Gómez-Navarro

PROJECTS

Optical illusions Making the eyes see something that is not there

One day, my friend told me that she had a wardrobe in her house that she did not like and wanted to cover up. I thought that it would be a good idea to place some made-to-measure boards on the wardrobe doors and create a  mock book shelf with fake book spines made of leather and paper. It turned out so great that I was assigned more projects of this type. Each of them is a unique work, made to fit and work in harmony with the space and environment. Each is one of a kind. I can carry out these projects on any surface: wood, walls, etc.

SCHOOL

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS IN MADRID

In my classes and workshops I convey and share with my students the manual techniques that I use as a professional bookbinder and restorer of ancient books. Teaching has always been a passion of mine that I enjoy. It also allows this profession to be preserved over time.

NEWS

CONTACT

If you need more information, do not hesitate to call me or write me an email. I will answer you right away.

Call me
+34 914 021 078
Address
C/ Maldonado, 63 Esc.B 1ºDcha. Madrid
EMAIL
ana@anajessen.com

[recaptcha]

Todos los Campos son requeridos
Here you can find me
Cerrar mapa
Summary
Restauracion de libros antiguos  encuadernacion artesanal
Service Type
Restauracion de libros antiguos encuadernacion artesanal
Provider Name
Ana Jessen,
Area
España
Description
Ana Jessen es una profesional de la restauracion de libros antiguos y la encuadernacion artesanal. Su nombre es sinónimo de profesionalidad y dedicación.