about the cover illustration
The illustration on the cover of LLMs in Production is an engraving by Nicolas de Lermessin (1640–1725) titled “Habit d’imprimeur en lettres,” or “The Printer’s Costume.” The engraving is from the series Les Costumes Grotesques et les Metiers, published by Jacques Chiquet in the early 18th century.
In those days, it was easy to identify where people lived and what their trade or station in life was just by their dress. Manning celebrates the inventiveness and initiative of the computer business with book covers based on the rich diversity of regional culture centuries ago, brought back to life by pictures from collections such as this one.