A minor mystery has been on the internet since 2013, and it revolves around the above image. This photograph, attributed to M. Peterka ca. 1940, seems to lack all provenance. One day an image of a man (or woman) kneeling in front of a giant book simply appeared. Though the image is often said to have come from the Archives of Prague Castle, the Librarian Shenanigans blog has chatted with the head archivist there who claims it is not from their archives.
To put the book’s size in context, it is not out of the realm of possibility that it exists. The Codex Gigas,”Giant Book” in English, from the 12th century is 36 inches tall, 30 inches wide when shut, and 8.7 inches thick. It weighs 165 pounds. The book in the mysterious Peterka image doesn’t appear to be quite that large, but it is odd that so many books in the image are “books of size”. Large books are fairly rare.
Alternately, the photo could simply be the result of photoshop. I am distinctly not an expert in the software, but the image’s shadows look odd, and this could very well be a composite image of 2-4 other photos. The photo manipulation theory is furthered by the fact that this image looks like it could belong in an archive, but if it had been digitized, the librarians certainly would have put out more information on it. (They really like providing background data, those librarians.)
So what do you all think? Is this a lost image that the internet has rediscovered? Or is it simply a clever use of modern technology? The romantic in me likes to think that the image came from a secret society and that the large books hold all answers to all of the world’s enigmas. The realist in me, however, has seen enough photoshopped images of cats in space to wonder.
Kristen Twardowski 
I have no idea but I do know it would have been easy to fake (in 2013 anyway, though not in 1940).
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That’s the magic of technology, I suppose. (Though Stalin had some in depth photo manipulation done during his purges, so I’m not sure why I’m surprised. We like to change how we see the world.)
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I think it’s real. it’s definitely a woman (skirt, necklace) and an elderly one at that, so back in 1940 it would be quite possible for her to have been tiny by today’s standards – 4 ft 6 or so. Which would mean the books aren’t quite as huge as they would have to be if she was a foot or more taller. Plus it’s too good an image for me to want believe it’s fake… 😉
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I like your perspective! There is a certain romance to the image that I love. After all, who doesn’t want to be surrounded by stacks of giant books?
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Wow, I’m stumped! Don’t know~
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It’s a tricky one!
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Definitely!
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hmmm, I think it’s fake.
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You’re breaking my heart, Ree. 😉 But you may be right.
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It would be interesting to know the opinion of the archive in question in the case it still exists… do they know books of this size?
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Hmmm, that’s a good question! I know that this photo isn’t currently with them, but I don’t know what the collection contains.
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I agree that it’s a woman – she seems to be in a skirt, with a necklace and hair pulled back. The bit where she’s leaning on a massive book doesn’t seem to be photoshopped, but the background maybe could be. As you say, we would probably know about a library or archive that had books of such size (and so many). I’m actually wondering if maybe this was a set piece? It is very romantic and would be a lovely setting for a film/play? Especially the way the shelves are sort of tiered; it isn’t really practical but looks whimsical, as if created to set a scene.
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I love the idea of this as a set! Now we just need a story to go with it.
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I don’t know, but I think it’s fake. There’s something about it that doesn’t seem quite right. But I’d LOVE for it to be real. Because then it would be absolutely amazing and such a beautiful image to be remembered.
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Something about the angles or the light seems a little off, but knowledge of photography is sadly lacking. Ah, well! At least it is an interesting image to look at regardless.
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