Death in the Pot: Food Adulteration and Culinary Chemistry
A slideshow entitled Death in the Pot draws from holdings of Special Collections concerning food adulteration and culinary chemistry. The title of the slideshow is taken from one of Frederick Accum's many treatises on food adulteration and culinary poisons; and most of the works highlighted come from the Duveen and Cole collections on chemistry and date from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Department of Special Collections calls attention to these titles in conjunction with UW-Madison's new common-reading program Go Big Read. If the slideshow whets your appetite to see the actual books, they are available for you to consult in the Special Collections reading room.
The slideshow was prepared by Sarah Boxhorn Potratz, graduate student in the Department of History of Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and graduate student assistant in Special Collections.
“A Goodly, Huge Cabinet”: Books About Cabinets of Curiosities and Early Museums
Francis Bacon’s plan for the increase of human knowledge encompassed artifact and book, museum and library, and called for “a goodly, huge cabinet” filled with treasures real and artificial. This slideshow (in four parts, rich in images and drawing upon the holdings of the Department of Special Collection) highlights books as printed museums. Indeed, the texts and images included constitute all we know of some early museums and cabinets of curiosities, since the contents of many such collections have long since been dispersed. A title list with full bibliographical details is also available.
The exhibit on which this slideshow is based was installed in Special Collections to accompany Cabinets of curiosities: Four artists, four visions, an exhibition at the Elvehjem (now Chazen) Museum, 7 October – 3 December 2000.
Our exhibit in 2000 derived much from the research of now bibliographer emeritus John Neu in conjunction with an earlier exhibit on the same topic, for which a checklist, Cabinets of curiosities & theaters of machines: The book as printed museum, was published by the Department of Special Collections in 1991. We also acknowledge the generous support and encouragement of William G. Reeder.
The slideshow was prepared by Katie Gleischman, graduate student in the School of Library and Information Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison, as part of a practicum project.
Gardens of Knowledge: An Exhibit of Books About Botanical Gardens
November 1999 - March 2000
To scholars and students of botany, botanical gardens serve as living libraries; and books related to botanical gardens take the metaphor one step further. This virtual exhibit, based upon a real exhibit in the Department of Special Collections in November 1999-January 2000, highlights books on botanical gardens from the holdings of Special Collections. When the actual exhibit was installed, the weather outside was cold and gray, but the lush illustrations of botanical gardens and their contents served to remind us of growing seasons past and future. Curated by Jenifer Ihde.
Italian Life under Fascism: Selections from the Fry Collection
July-September 1998
As this virtual exhibit suggests, the Fry Collection affords rich possibilities for research, and we owe much to Jack Fry, professor emeritus of physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, for his care in assembling the collection and his generosity in giving it to the Department of Special Collections. The Fry Collection itself contains many hundreds of printed items, ranging from single broadsides to large volumes, along with extensive archival material. Items in this virtual exhibit date from the period 1922-1945, but the Fry Collection as a whole speaks to aspects of Italian history and culture from the Renaissance through the 20th century. A later exhibit, "More from the Fry Collection," complemented this virtual one.
Women & Nature
March-December2001
Drawing on library strengths in the Cairns Collection of American Women Writers Before 1920, history of science, and the University Archives, this exhibit explored the relationship of women and nature. Exhibit themes included nature writing, scientific illustration, and women's careers and training in the natural sciences. Installed in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the Women's Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and curated by Kelley Osborne.
Smaller Course-Related Exhibits
Selected Editions of Sacrobosco's De Sphaera
In conjunction with History of Science 323, The Scientific Revolution, taught in fall semester 2007 by Prof. Florence Hsia, the Department of Special Collections has digitized selected pages from each of its editions of the works of Sacrobosco (Joannes de Sacro Bosco [John of Holywood], fl. 1230).
Selected Images from the Encyclopédie
In conjunction with History 119, Modern Europe 1500-1815, taught in fall semester 2007 by Prof. Lee Wandel, the Department of Special Collections has digitized selected pages from its first edition of the Encyclopédie of Diderot and d'Alembert.
Exhibit Checklists
We are gradually adding checklists for past exhibits to the Special Collections Web site, beginning with "Folly, Fraud, Fakery," as exhibited in 2002.