Musicals are a combination of theatre, music, and dance, and musicals have been a popular form of entertainment since the 19th century. Gilbert and Sullivan's musical theater productions were especially popular, and receiving more viewers than those that preceded them. Special Collections and Archives has ...
The Old China Hands Archives is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of new materials, including the Gloria Watson Curtis Kliene Collection, the Ellwood Lawson Collection, and the addition of new items to the Sylvia Maehrischel Collection. These collections strengthen the Old China Hands Archives mission to preserve...
"Once upon a time" is the well-worn opening to several traditional fairy tales, but where did the phrase originate? What is a fairy tale? Scholars generally agree that a fairy tale does not need to include actual fairies, but they agree on little else. Some basic themes in fairy tales are the presence of magic, some form of transformation (of a character or an idea), and the inclusion of the extraordinary ....
Artists' books have been produced around the world and across artistic disciplines for nearly 200 years, but weren't established as an official book (or art!) genre until the 1970s. Simply defined, artists’ books can be thought of as unique works of art in book format—though they do tend to challenge traditional concepts of what constitutes a "book." Often constructed from unusual materials, some artists' books in the library's collection are made from rubber, metal, plastic, fabric, and wood, as well as remarkable handmade papers ...
Many beauty and fashion trends quickly fall out of vogue, but others have more staying power. In Special Collections there are many fashion books and magazines produced in numerous time periods, as well as historical retrospectives that focus on the history of fashion and cosmetics. Women in particular ....
World War I was one of the most lethal battles in history that drew in major global powers from various nations to fight against one another. Over the course of four years, from 1914 to 1918, millions of combatants and civilians died as a result of the violence. The progress of the war was covered and documented by soldiers who...
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine that specialized in humor and satire. Starting publication in 1841, the magazine took its title from the hunchbacked and hook-nosed Punch puppet of Punch and Judy, ubiquitous figures in the UK and other parts of Europe for many decades. The magazine featured numerous...
Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights have enchanted readers for centuries. The history of the book is as fascinating as the stories themselves. Scholars have concluded that the Arabian Nights are a composite of stories written by numerous individuals over several hundred years, likely dating to...
Mexico has had a tremendously rich cultural history. Pre-Columbian Mexico had a fascinating blend of native cultures. There were many different native groups that inhabited the land throughout those early years. Post-Columbian Mexico was an interesting and exciting time full of discovery for the...
The universe is filled with beauty and mystery. We don’t know for sure what is out there, but as curious humans, we have made attempts to know all we can about the parts of our universe. We’ve developed theories about the universe and how it works, we’ve mapped out the stars, we’ve ventured into outer space, we’ve creatively written fiction about the wonders of the universe, and...
