Reviving History: A Masterpiece of Manuscript Design

Aleksandra Toborowicz's Award-Winning Design of "Sur les Chevaux Orientaux et Provenant"

The project was inspired by Count Waclaw Rzewuski's beautifully handwritten and illustrated manuscript. The three-volume work, rich with illustrations of Arabic culture, horses, historical maps of Arabia, and Arabic habits, was created under the National Library in Warsaw, Poland, and for the Qatar Museums in Qatar.

Toborowicz's design is a unique scientific edition comprising nine volumes published together as two box sets in English and Polish. The binding features a combination of gold and natural cream color on the spine, a nod to the palette of the Arabian desert: sun and sand. Together with the high-quality white paper, these tones reflect the style of the traditional outer garments worn by Arab men, who particularly value exquisite, natural fabrics.

The graphic design of the box set is intended to reflect the character of Rzewuski's manuscript. The format is identical to that of the manuscript: 24 x 33 cm. The typographic layout reflects the style and layout of the manuscript, and even preserves the vertical burgundy lines separating the margins from the text. The noble burgundy shade used in the marginalia alludes to the color of the ink once used to make handwritten notes alongside the main text.

The publication comprises nine volumes: seven hardbound books and two softcover booklets, published together as two box sets in English and Polish; it contains about 3500 pages. The typography on a cover and spine – title and author's name are in black, gold, and white hot and dry stamping and technology. Black illustrations with small horses on a spine made in silkscreen technique.

The project started in July 2015 and finished in December 2017 in Warsaw and Cracow, Poland. The design challenge was to find a solution to reflect the nature of the manuscript in a layout of a scientific book, including very complex various data: marginals, illustrations, and references of the manuscript. The layout had to be very readable and elegant and at the same time different from typical scientific publications.

With this design, Toborowicz has not only created a visually stunning edition of a historical manuscript but also contributed to the preservation and promotion of Arabic culture and history. Her work serves as a shining example of how design can bridge the gap between the past and the present, and how it can bring a fresh perspective to historical artifacts.