Publisher, printer, and bookseller from Split, Antonio Zannoni (1834–1888)

Abstract

Until recently, Antonio Zannoni, who was active as a publisher, printer, and bookseller in 19th-century  Split, remained a largely unknown figure in the city’s  history of publishing, printing, and bookselling. This  paper seeks to investigate and reconstruct the  operation of Zannoni’s printing house based on the  available archival sources, newspapers, and his  publishing output. The aim is to assess the role that  his printing house and bookshop played in the  broader socio-cultural life of Split in the second half  of the 19th century. Despite some fluctuations, his  production remained fairly consistent,  encompassing  a wide variety of printed works,  mostly in the fields of religion, literature, geography,  history, and the humanities. Over time, a gradual  decline in religious and literary publications can be  observed, accompanied by an increase in works  focusing on history, geography, and arts. Notable  characteristics of Zannoni’s business include a  thematic focus on Dalmatian history and geography,  a target audience of the Dalmatian market and  intellectual elite, a predominance of works in Italian  until the mid-1880s, the prevalence of smaller-format  and affordable publications, and relatively  modest but aesthetically pleasing graphic design.  Zannoni advertised the books sold in his shop  through local newspapers, which was a common  promotional practice of the time. Keenly attuned to  the needs of the book market, he closely followed  social, political, economic, and cultural developments  in pursuit of profit. His bookshop  played an exceptionally important role in the social  life of Split. Through his work, Zannoni became  involved in all aspects of the city’s life and left a  lasting mark on it.