| Revision as of 23:29, 21 August 2024 editDi (they-them) (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers22,873 edits →See also a signature← Previous edit | Revision as of 06:11, 10 October 2024 edit undoEmmanue Kitano (talk | contribs)14 edits →History: I expanded the 'History' section by providing a more comprehensive overview of the concept of autographs, detailing their significance and evolution throughout history. I included information about the oldest known autograph, the Sumerian clay tablet featuring Gar.Ama, and the earliest authenticated autograph of a major historical figure, El Cid, from 1098. Additionally, I discussed the role of signatures in ancient Rome and how the practice evolved during the Renaissance and intoTags: Reverted references removed Visual edit Disambiguation links added Newcomer task Newcomer task: expandNext edit → | ||
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| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| {{expand section|date=December 2019}} | {{expand section|date=December 2019}} | ||
| The concept of an ], or a person's signature, has evolved significantly over millennia. The oldest known "]" is a ] clay tablet dating back to around ], which features the name of the scribe Gar.Ama. This early example demonstrates the importance of authorship and record-keeping in ancient Mesopotamian society. | |||
| What might be considered the oldest "autograph" is a ] clay table from about 3100 BC which includes the name of the scribe Gar.Ama. No ancient written autographs have been found, and the earliest one known for a major historical figure is that of ] from 1098.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W-MIChVmZwQC&pg=PA101|title=The Quest for El Cid|first=Richard A.|last=Fletcher|date=1 January 1989|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195069556|via=Google Books}}</ref> | |||
| Although no ancient written autographs have been discovered, the earliest authenticated autograph of a major historical figure is attributed to ], a Castilian nobleman and military leader, whose signature appeared in a document from 1098. This signifies the growing recognition of individual identity and authorship during the medieval period. | |||
| Throughout history, autographs have taken various forms and held different meanings across cultures. In ancient Rome, for instance, public figures often used signatures to validate documents and communicate their authority. The practice continued to evolve in the Renaissance, with artists and writers beginning to sign their works as a mark of personal pride and recognition. | |||
| The significance of autographs further increased in the modern era, especially during the 19th and 20th centuries, as collecting autographs became a popular hobby. Notable figures, such as authors, musicians, and political leaders, began to recognize the value of their signatures as a form of personal branding and legacy. | |||
| Today, autographs are not only cherished for their historical value but also for their connection to the individual, serving as tangible links to the past and symbols of cultural significance. | |||
| ==Autograph manuscript== | ==Autograph manuscript== | ||
Revision as of 06:11, 10 October 2024
Personal signature Not to be confused with Signature or Audograph. For autograph as manuscript written by its author, see Autograph (manuscript). For collecting of autographs, see Autograph collecting. For other uses, see Autograph (disambiguation).
An autograph is a person's own handwriting or signature. The word autograph comes from Ancient Greek (αὐτός, autós, "self" and γράφω, gráphō, "write"), and can mean more specifically:
- a manuscript written by the author of its content. In this meaning the term autograph can often be used interchangeably with holograph.
- a celebrity's handwritten signature. Autograph collecting is the activity of collecting such autographs.
History
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2019) |
The concept of an autograph, or a person's signature, has evolved significantly over millennia. The oldest known "autograph" is a Sumerian clay tablet dating back to around 3100 BC, which features the name of the scribe Gar.Ama. This early example demonstrates the importance of authorship and record-keeping in ancient Mesopotamian society.
Although no ancient written autographs have been discovered, the earliest authenticated autograph of a major historical figure is attributed to El Cid, a Castilian nobleman and military leader, whose signature appeared in a document from 1098. This signifies the growing recognition of individual identity and authorship during the medieval period.
Throughout history, autographs have taken various forms and held different meanings across cultures. In ancient Rome, for instance, public figures often used signatures to validate documents and communicate their authority. The practice continued to evolve in the Renaissance, with artists and writers beginning to sign their works as a mark of personal pride and recognition.
The significance of autographs further increased in the modern era, especially during the 19th and 20th centuries, as collecting autographs became a popular hobby. Notable figures, such as authors, musicians, and political leaders, began to recognize the value of their signatures as a form of personal branding and legacy.
Today, autographs are not only cherished for their historical value but also for their connection to the individual, serving as tangible links to the past and symbols of cultural significance.
Autograph manuscript
Main article: Autograph (manuscript)"Autograph" can refer to a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist. This meaning overlaps that of "holograph".
Celebrity's signature
Autograph collecting is the hobby of collecting autographs of famous persons. Some of the most popular categories of autograph subjects are presidents, military soldiers, athletes, movie stars, artists, social and religious leaders, scientists, astronauts, and authors.
See also
- Asemic writing – Wordless open semantic form of writing
- Profiles in History – Auction house in Los Angeles, California
- Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, stone blocks with depicted signatures
- Autograph show – Meeting of autograph collectors
- Law of agency#Allograph – Person representing another person in legal matters, and the laws enabling this, specifically a signature made by an agent on behalf of a principal
References
- ^ Thompson, Edward Maunde (1911). "Autographs" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 45–47.
- ^ Gove, Philip B. (ed.), 1981. Webster's Third New International Dictionary, p. 147. ISBN 0-87779-206-2
- ^ Tomita, Yo (2016). "Autographs, Copies and Original Manuscripts". In Leaver, Robin A. (ed.). The Routledge Research Companion to Johann Sebastian Bach. Taylor & Francis. pp. 52–54. ISBN 9781315452807.
- "Collection: Autograph Collection | USF Libraries - Tampa Special Collections ArchivesSpace". archives.lib.usf.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
Further reading
- Collecting Autographs and Manuscripts by Charles Hamilton, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1961, 269 pages.
- Autographs and Manuscripts: A Collector's Manual edited by Ed Berkeley, Charles Scribner's Sons Pub., 1978, 565 pages.
- T.J. Brown's series on Autographs in The Book Collector.
External links
- The Autograph at the HathiTrust Digital Library (early 20th-century periodical, full view)