Today marks the birth of English scientist Robert Hooke in 1635. Hooke dabbled in many branches of the arts and sciences, including astronomy, physics, watchmaking, and architecture. He was a member of the Royal Society and served as its curator of experiments, which meant that he demonstrated several experiments at each of the Society’s meetings …
Facsimiles of two famous illuminated medieval manuscripts have recently been added to Special Collections’ holdings. Both are associated with known artists and they are now available for consultation in the reading room or in the classroom. The Godescalc Evangelistary This famous liturgical book was commissioned by Charlemagne and written by a Frankish scribe named Godescalc …
Art history students and other researchers interested in provenance and trends in the fine art and rare books trades will soon have access to Special Collections’ print auction catalogs. Our holdings of Swann Galleries, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s auction catalogs are in the process of being added to the library catalog. Swann Galleries’ auction catalogs are …
This year is the 100th anniversary of the United States entering World War I, a war that would end up being one of the deadliest wars the world has ever seen. Many European countries had been fighting in the War since 1914, but the United States had maintained its neutrality. But this neutrality was not …
This week in 1664, King Louis XIV hosted a multi-day party at Versailles. The festival, called Les Plaisirs de l’Île enchantée [The Pleasures of the Enchanted Island], transformed the grounds of Louis’ not-quite-finished palace into a mythical wonderland. Between May 7 and 13, over 600 invitees were treated to banquets, balls, spectacles, parades, recitals, and …
Today’s post was written by Dr. Jack Stoneman of BYU’s Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages. Dr. Stoneman and his student assistants have been researching the provenance of a collection of rare Japanese books and manuscripts assembled by collector Harry Bruning, which was acquired by the Lee Library around 1980. Today marks an anniversary …
Surgery is never a fun experience, but can you imagine what it would have been like before the advent of general anesthetic and other modern medical advances? The current Harold B. Lee Library exhibit Curious Remedies: Medicine During the Renaissance provides a glimpse into the medical technology of the 16th and 17th centuries. On display …
If you’re looking for early Latin American primary sources, this new resource compiled by Special Collections intern Tyler Broadhead lists Special Collections’ holdings of books, maps, and manuscripts about Latin America or produced in Latin America before 1800. The document also includes modern facsimiles of Mesoamerican codices like the one pictured here, as well as …
A century ago today, on March 23, 1917, Leonard and Virginia Woolf purchased a small hand press and some type from a shop in London. They set the equipment up on their dining room table and thus the Hogarth Press (named after their home, Hogarth House) was born. Virginia had taken some bookbinding classes some …
If you visit the “Curious Remedies” exhibit this month, be on the lookout for a small, nondescript book of medicine by Nicholas Culpeper. This item was published in 1684 by Hannah Sawbridge. Hannah was the widow of George Sawbridge, one of the most successful London printers and booksellers of the 17th century. Sawbridge’s firm printed …