#librarychallenge

What better way to kick off this month’s #LibraryLeaves challenge than with Joseph Breintnall’s leaf prints (circa 1730s)? The vertical fold in the page is a clue as to how Brientnall achieved these detailed leaf impressions. He inked the leaf, folded the paper over the leaf and then used pressure to create the print. He made hundreds of leaf prints like this to collect botanical information. 

We’re featuring more #NaturePrints for the second week of the #LibraryLeaves Challenge! 

"Per post, sir, received your last invoice and letter, 

No consignment of your's ever suited me better: 

The burnt bones (for flour) far exceeded my wishes, 

And the coculus indicus beer was delicious." 

Queen B! We found this royal insect in our copy of Charles Butler’s The Femininʻ Monarchiʻ, or The Histori of Beeʻs (Oxford, 1634), which was likely previously owned by Benjamin Franklin. #BugginOut

Athanasius Kircher’s The Vulcano’s: or, Burning and Fire-Vomiting Mountains (London, 1669) includes this fold-out frontispiece showing his theories on how fire and water interacted through an elaborate system of interconnected  subterranean channels and vents that resulted in volcanic activity (or, as the title suggests, fire-vomiting!). Notice the cross section of an erupting Mount Vesuvius in the third image. 

For the month of June we are participating in the #PeakOfOurCollections challenge, sponsored by the John Carter Brown Library, highlighting collection materials that feature mountains and volcanoes.

Our final #LibraryBookArt feature comes from our copy of The Roman Histories of Lucius Iulius Florus (London, 1636). A former owner added this glorious portrait to the final leaf along with the inscription: Dikus Mulberry. We’re not sure whether Dikus is the person depicted, the former owner, or perhaps both. Regardless, we’re feeling some serious #HairEnvy.

We’re shining a light on this week’s #LibraryBookArt situation! Our Chief of Conservation, Jennifer Rosner, found this gorgeous geometric watermark while going through our copy of T.H. Saunders’ Illustrations of the British Paper Manufacture (London, 1855). We love how a seemingly plain piece of paper can come alive with just a little light.