Cristina Neagu | University of Oxford (original) (raw)

Books by Cristina Neagu

Chapter in Proceedings of the International Conference on the 450th Anniversary of Nicolaus Olahu... more Chapter in Proceedings of the International Conference on the 450th Anniversary of Nicolaus Olahus’ Death, edited by Emöke Rita Szilágyi.

This volume accompanied the exhibition open in the Upper Library at Christ Church from 26 June to... more This volume accompanied the exhibition open in the Upper Library at Christ Church from 26 June to 26 October 2018. Like many antiquarians of his day, the German art historian and archaeologist Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768) first learned about the ancient world through immersion in literature. As a teacher then librarian in his native Germany, Winckelmann encountered the classics primarily through literary texts, as well as the souvenirs—coins, gems and figurines—that Grand Tourists and other travellers had brought north from their visits to Italy. Once he arrived in Rome, where he rose to prominence at Prefect of Antiquities in the Vatican, Winckelmann studied the remains of Greek, Graeco-Roman and Roman art on a larger scale. Through personal contacts, letters and other writings, Winckelmann influenced his and subsequent generations of scholars, aesthetes, collectors, craftsmen and artists both within and beyond Italy.

Sir John Beazley, the world’s greatest scholar of Athenian figure-decorated pottery, held his fir... more Sir John Beazley, the world’s greatest scholar of Athenian figure-decorated pottery, held his first academic position at Christ Church, and the library houses rare and important books on ancient Greek art. The exhibition open in the Upper Library presents Beazley's work and assesses his lasting influence.

This volume is not only intended as a companion to the exhibition, but also as an aid to undergraduates studying for Mods, Prelims, Greats, and Finals, postgraduates, and anyone else interested in Greek vases and the history of scholarship

I wrote Chapter 32 on Neo-Latin in East-Central Europe Any student of Neo-Latin in Central and... more I wrote Chapter 32 on Neo-Latin in East-Central Europe

Any student of Neo-Latin in Central and Eastern Europe should start by thinking in terms of a striking absence of clear-cut divisions. During the early modern period, the region was characterized by ever shifting frontiers, shared histories, common ruling dynasties and political alliances between the Habsburg hereditary lands (Austria and modern Slovenia), the Czech lands (Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia), plus Poland-Lithuania, Hungary-Croatia and Transylvania. While ethnic and vernacular variety, coupled with religious heterogeneity, clearly defined the context in terms of fragmentation, Latin did the opposite. It remained an official and scholarly language until well into the 19th century. This chapter aims to map various scholarly networks that developed within the long history of Latin. It will attempt to trace the way it coped with the double challenge confronting it, that from the past, with the appropriation of models and and illustrious heritage, and from the present, openly embracing contemporary demands to push thought and expression forward.

This collection of essays illustrates various pressures and concerns - both practical and theoret... more This collection of essays illustrates various pressures and concerns - both practical and theoretical - related to research in the fast-developing terrain of print culture studies.

I wrote Chapter 12 (pp. 182-173): The ‘Lesser’ Dürer? Text and Image in Early-Modern Broadsheets

When compared to his achievements in the visual arts, Albrecht Dürer's literary output may seem unimportant. However, not only did he cultivate various literary genres with enthusiastic confidence, he also consciously integrated the fluidity of written expression within the space of his pictorial and graphic works. In fact, the interplay between image and written language is one of the main features of Dürer's style. My intention was to explore this comparatively little studied, but essential aspect of Albrecht Dürer's work: his interest in language as an essential part of the image.
The main focus of this essay is a small and not very glamorous series of broadsheets. Like any ephemeral printing (then as well as now) one tended to read and dispose of the material, sometimes for no other reason than the awkwardness of storage (books have always had a better fate than loose leafs). Given their generally unexciting nature on the one hand, and their scarcity on the other, broadsheets are not among critics’ favourites, but their value in illuminating the complex interpretative issues surrounding archiving and the visual to print relation is evident.

The volume accompanied an exhibition aimed at revealing how widespread pagan and Christian imager... more The volume accompanied an exhibition aimed at revealing how widespread pagan and Christian imagery about imaginary being is. It contains studies about Lewis Carroll, medieval monsters and Lord Mark Kerr, and fabulous beings in manuscripts, incunabula and nineteenth-century prints.

Chapter (pp. 145-173) in Volume 30 of Medium Aevum Monographs. This book seeks to dispel the myth... more Chapter (pp. 145-173) in Volume 30 of Medium Aevum Monographs. This book seeks to dispel the myth that humanism was unique to the Italian Peninsula during the fifteenth century.

This book is the first full-length study of the poetry and prose of Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568), ... more This book is the first full-length study of the poetry and prose of Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568), a central figure of Northern humanism. He was also a much-admired diplomat and man of the church at the courts of Queen Mary of Hungary and King Ferdinand. The texts Olahus composed suggest a special approach to language. He wrote as a rhetorician, not just in the sense that he composed in an elegant style, but also to persuade, delight, move and impel to action. This volume discusses a Transylvanian author whose biography, beliefs and work reveal important links with Erasmus and the humanism associated with the Collegium Trilingue in Louvain. It offers new insights into how Renaissance values were assimilated in Central Europe.

Tom Costello's is a poetry of gratitude, celebration, identity with the pain of others, and with ... more Tom Costello's is a poetry of gratitude, celebration, identity with the pain of others, and with those who have moved or delighted him. He makes no apology if at times he sounds sentimental, overwhelmed, knocked-out by beauty, or reduced to tears by the shocks of injustice. Each poem in this collection is an imperative. The subject, feelings or focus determines the style.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Tom Costello was Lecturer on English literature at Liverpool University. His interests always lay in the realms of film, drama and poetry. He established several film societies, poetry and jazz concerts and poetry workshops. In 1994 he published International Guide to Literature on Film, an important research tool for students of literature, film, and media studies with a listing of some 7,500 film treatments of literature done between 1930 and 1990 worldwide. He was also engaged in the development of experimental photography (an attempt to do with a film camera what painters do with brushes). He mounted twelve one-man exhibitions of his art work and founded the company PhotoPoetry.

Papers by Cristina Neagu

MS 183 and MS 184 are two manuscripts which belonged to the Salusbury family. They contain herald... more MS 183 and MS 184 are two manuscripts which belonged to the Salusbury family. They contain heraldry, and poems in Welsh and English, dating from the turn of the sixteenth to the seventeenth century. Christ Church has no particular Welsh associations to explain why it should have been given two manuscripts largely in the Welsh language. The Salusbury family of Denbighshire is celebrated in both codices. Members of that family were 2 MS 3950, Bibliothek des Priesterseminars Germany, Münster [in Westphalia]. 4 The title page of Christ Church Library Mus 989. Given that Scarlatti is identified as composer in both the Christ Church manuscript and the collection of arias from the 1702 performance, which corresponds so closely to the 1702 libretto, one asks: What is the relationship between the text and music of the Christ Church manuscript and the text and music of the 1702 Pratolino performance? Using the time-honoured control mechanism favoured by the opera historian, one can compare the text of the opera as it appears in Christ Church Mus 989 against that in the various libretti. And contrary to the earlier understanding of the origins of the manuscript, the text it contains corresponds not at all closely to that of the 1702 libretto for Pratolino, but, rather, to that of the 1693 libretto for Naples, 3 and very closely to that libretto indeed. The succession of events must have been something like the following: Scarlatti first composed his setting of Noris' text for a performance in Naples in 1693, a setting that Christ Church Mus 989 preserves; then, bowing to the contemporary passion for variety, Noris (and/or someone else) rewrote his text for Pratolino, and Scarlatti composed new and different music for it, from which only fragments remain, the collection of arias excerpted from the performance. The importance of this new understanding is as follows. We now know that we are in possession of a complete primary source for an early performance of a setting of Noris' text, one composed by the leading Italian composer of Italian opera of the time.

Genesis incipit: Hebrew Bible (printed by Joshua Solomon Soncino in Naples in 1492). Holkham c.1,... more Genesis incipit: Hebrew Bible (printed by Joshua Solomon Soncino in Naples in 1492). Holkham c.1, The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. technique of visualisation enables the display of the trade routes of any 15th-century books and the formation or dispersal of collections. See http://15cbooktrade.ox.ac.uk/visualization/ 4 These copies were bought from the London bookseller George Thomason between 1647 and 1648. 5 The book in question concerns the beautiful Holkham Bible that used to belong to Holkham Hall in Norfolk and was bought by the Bodleian in 1953. This copy was printed in Naples in 1492 by Joshua Solomon Soncino, on parchment and includes colour decorations, as well as gold leaf. For a full digital version, cf. https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/inquire/Discover/Search/#/ ?p=c+0,t+,rsrs+0,rsps+10,fa+,so+ox%3Asort%5Easc,scid s+,pid+014a8e57-e084-46c2-96d2-87fffc242fac,vi+b5f1b9bc-96f4-4096-bde9-ea24072ef7c0 6 In fact, the very first book printed at their press in Mantua in 1474 was printed by Estellina, according to the colophon in the Bechinat Olam. 7 Moreover, fragments of Hebrew incunabula have also been found among the cache of material from the Cairo Genizah, but also as end-papers or binding waste in Hebrew and non-Hebrew book bindings. 9 For these two, somewhat contradictory and yet complementary points of views, see Cristina Dondi, ed.,

150 years ago, in 1859, a 19 year-old from Reading heard that Dean Liddell needed a footman. Will... more 150 years ago, in 1859, a 19 year-old from Reading heard that Dean Liddell needed a footman. William Francis, who had been working as a 'sweater' , or scout's boy, at Winchester College for the previous four years, where he had heard wondrous tales of Oxford, applied for the post. He was accepted, and began a long and eventful career at Christ Church.

Greetings from the Librarian For those of you who are long-standing readers of the Library's news... more Greetings from the Librarian For those of you who are long-standing readers of the Library's newsletter, you will know that it has evolved from a short, fairly informal publication, first published in 2004, into a substantial bibliographical journal covering a vast range of subjects. You may also realise it has been some time since an issue appeared, as in the last years the Library has undergone some considerable upheaval. The loss of the much-loved Janet McMullin, my predecessor, was a difficult burden for the Library to bear, and she left very large shoes to fill. At the same time, pressures on space within College have led to the loss of half of the Library's storage space which had to be vacated over the summer of 2018, requiring the Library team to move in excess of 40,000 volumes; a task several years in the planning and by no means a small job in the searing heat! continued on page 2 THIS ISSUE Greetings from the Librarian Rare Photograph Acquired by Christ Church The Zohars of Mantua and Cremona The Roman Collection: Early Coin Catalogues

Members and Friends of Christ Church, who have informed us of their intention to remember Christ ... more Members and Friends of Christ Church, who have informed us of their intention to remember Christ Church in their will, are invited to the annual lunch of the 1546 Society at Christ Church, starting with a drinks reception in the SCR Garden at 12.30. For more details please contact the Development Office.

We aim to give you news and views, and to ensure you are kept informed about what is going on. Th... more We aim to give you news and views, and to ensure you are kept informed about what is going on. Thus the articles in CCM cross the centuries, the generations, and the globe. The Dean's message about warm welcomes and hospitality is as true now as it was back in the 1520's when Wolsey's first buildings were the cellars, the Hall and the kitchens. Alumni, parents, and friends are always welcome, and we would especially draw your attention to two events coming up at the end of the summer at which Hall will play centre stage.

and the Museum of the History of Science. CCM online… To help reduce the impact printing and mail... more and the Museum of the History of Science. CCM online… To help reduce the impact printing and mailing Christ Church Matters has on the environment, we ask subscribers to consider opting for reading the latest edition online at: www.chch.ox.ac.uk/alumni/christ-churchmatters.

Design and pre-press production by Baseline Arts Ltd, Oxford. Christ Church Matters is also avail... more Design and pre-press production by Baseline Arts Ltd, Oxford. Christ Church Matters is also available as an interactive PDF on the College website: www.chch.ox.ac.uk/ccm35 ROBERT HOOKE In the last issue of CCM 34, we included two photographs of portraits of Robert Hooke by Ms Rita Greer (P.1 & P.33) but failed to credit them. We apologise for this oversight and are happy to make the attribution now. CCM 35 | 1 and unwelcome sum on repair and restoration, we have been able to admire the work of our forebears at a distance seldom granted to other generations. All this has come at a time when the House coat of arms has been seen almost everywhere. I refer, of course, to Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, and the highly engaging adaption done for primetime television. If you have not read Mantel's book, or had a chance to see the TV episodes, I recommend her work highly. This is Wolsey's world brought to life, and the perspective gained by looking down from the ceiling in our Great Hall to the floor below, coupled to Mantel's imaginative rendition of the Tudor era, remind us of the scale of ambition and achievement undertaken by our Tudor forebears. Aedes Christi was a vast project for its time; it remains a vast enterprise for us now, and for future generations. As a famous old prayer has it-'for all that has been "thanks"; for all that shall be, "yes". ' The ceiling of the Dining Hall notwithstanding, the House is in fine shape. I am writing this on a Saturday afternoon as our rowing crews are bumping their way up the river. There have been some very fine achievements in sport for the House. Academically, we are in a steady and strong position in all subjects, and we continue to build patiently on the invaluable work of our Tutors. It has also been particularly pleasing to see our students move into so many different spheres of work after their graduation, such as teaching, law, consultancy, banking, charity, civil service, computing, and journalism. All are well represented. Our graduate students continue to push the frontiers of knowledge and research.

I wrote Chapter 32 on Neo-Latin in East-Central Europe Any student of Neo-Latin in Central and... more I wrote Chapter 32 on Neo-Latin in East-Central Europe

I wrote Chapter 12 (pp. 182-173): The ‘Lesser’ Dürer? Text and Image in Early-Modern Broadsheets

In this Michaelmas edition we welcome our 45th Dean, the Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy, who jo... more In this Michaelmas edition we welcome our 45th Dean, the Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy, who joined us in October after ten years as Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon. We also say goodbye to our former Dean, Christopher Lewis, and his wife Rhona as they retire to the idyllic Suffolk coast. Much has been achieved in this year of change, and we celebrate the successes of members past and present in this issue. If you have news of your own which you would like to share with the Christ Church community, we invite you to make a submission to the next Annual Report-details of this can be found in College News. A new Christ Church website will be launched in the spring, and with this a new digital platform for Christ Church Matters. If you would like to receive the magazine digitally, please let us know.

The idea of service permeates much that appears in this edition of Christ Church Matters. Christo... more The idea of service permeates much that appears in this edition of Christ Church Matters. Christopher Lewis celebrates his tenth year as Dean this year, and he writes about our Visitor in his Diary. There can surely be nobody in the country who better personifies the ideals of duty and service than Queen Elizabeth II: "I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust." Many of our thirteen Prime Ministers whom the Archivist writes about also stressed the ideal. W. E. Gladstone, whom another member of the House, Lord (Nigel) Lawson, called "the greatest Chancellor of all time", stated that "selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race" (and Churchill is alleged to have said "They told me how Mr. Gladstone read Homer for fun, which I thought served him right.") Service, to the House, is also epitomised by the authors of the next two articles, Stephen Darlington and the Cathedral School headmaster, Martin Bruce, as it is by the choristers in the both the Cathedral and the College choirs. How lucky we are to have so many who are willing to work so hard to maintain standards, values and traditions. Other examples of service may be seen in the articles on Jan Morris' efforts to ensure details of the conquest of Everest were received in London in time for the Coronation, in Joseph Bank's service to bettering mankind's knowledge of science, and in the work of Oval House and Saakshar. W. H. Auden claimed: "We are here on earth to do good to others. What the others are here for, I don't know." It is evident from the pieces written by House Chemists, and the number of Members who came to the lunch to wish Paul Kent well on his 90th birthday and to the dinner to wish Martin Grossel well on his retirement, that along with Richard Wayne we have been privileged to have had three tremendous servants to Christ Church, Chemistry and the Tutorial ideal, all believing in and working for the common good. There are many exciting events in the rest of the year, all listed inside the back cover. Please note them and support them; especially the Association dinner and drama in Hall on September 21st. I trust there will be no collapsing staging and deaths this time but it should still be fun. And of course, if you miss the House you can always lessen the pain by buying one of the last remaining Ingamells' etchings, details of which are on the back cover.

During the past few months, the Upper Library hosted three BBC film crews. The first involved an ... more During the past few months, the Upper Library hosted three BBC film crews. The first involved an interview with Prof Gruffydd Aled Williams for a new series, Mamwlad, looking at pioneering women in Wales. The interview focused on one of the manuscripts in the library, MS 184, and one of its former owners, Katheryn of Berain (BBC Wales, 25 January 2014). The second film, The Joy of Logic, included an interview with Edward Wakeling. The topic under discussion was the place of Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) in the history of logic, (BBC 4, 3 December 2013). Finally, there was the filming for A Very British Renaissance, a new series in which Dr James Fox looks back at key figures who brought the artistic movement to our shores. The sequence filmed at Christ Church involved Robert Burton's library and the first printed editions of his Anatomy of Melancholy (BBC 2, 21 March 2014).

Richness Visible-Early Music at Christ Church The end of 2011 marked the moment when the online C... more Richness Visible-Early Music at Christ Church The end of 2011 marked the moment when the online Catalogue of the Music Collection at Christ Church was completed. To celebrate the event, on 2 November 2012, the Library opened an exhibition and organized a symposium. Discussions focused on the challenges of the Christ Church collection, solutions adopted to create a resource able to serve as a model for equivalent projects planned for other UK music collections (such as the Music School collection at the Bodleian, the Durham Cathedral manuscripts, and the Wode Partbooks of c. 1560) and the possibility of digitising the collection in the future. We invited speakers representing a wide spectrum of interests, from researchers and performers to librarians and project managers. In this issue some of the ideas brought forward have been expanded in articles by John Milsom, Jonathan Wainwright, Martin Holmes and Julia Craig-McFeely. More on the topic in the next issue. (The Editor) THIS ISSUE Walter Porter and the 'Duplicity of Duplicates' The Oxford Music School Collection Creating online access to manuscript images Fell's Friends and the Sheldonian Press Binding Stories and HYP Pamphlets Surface Cleaning and Conservation Monk Students and Their Books Recovering the Past-Gaudy Speech 1971 Arabian Nights Manuscripts in Paris Nicolas Cantilupe, Thomas Hearne and the Forthcoming Manuscripts Catalogue Engraved Gems and the Classical Tradition Walter Porter's Mottets and the 'Duplicity of Duplicates' What should a library do when it owns more than one copy of an early printed book? Keep them all, or dispose of the duplicates? The librarians at Christ Church Library faced this dilemma in 1906 while reorganizing the college's important collection of early printed music. The items in question had largely been bequeathed by a former dean, Henry Aldrich (d. 1710), who had built up his library partly by absorbing other people's collections, and in so doing he sometimes acquired duplicates. These he passed on to Christ Church, with the result that the college now owned two, three or even four copies of some titles. These duplicates included items that were rare and valuable in themselves, so in 1906 a trained musician was asked to list and evaluate them so that the librarians could ponder their options.

Co on ns se er rv vi in ng g J Jo oh ha an nn n R Re em mm me el li in n' 's s C Ca at to op pt t... more Co on ns se er rv vi in ng g J Jo oh ha an nn n R Re em mm me el li in n' 's s C Ca at to op pt tr ru um m M Mi ic cr ro oc co os sm mi ic cu um m There were two reasons why I was looking forward to compiling the condition and treatment report on Remmelin's Catoptrum Microcosmicum (Allestree E.1.4). This is the first anatomical atlas to use dozens of engravings superimposed as a series of opening flaps as method of illustration. The edition at Christ Church dates from 1619 and was printed in Augsburg by David Franck. Although I have reported on the volume before (see Christ Church Library Newsletter Vol 6, issue 2, Hilary term 2010), I was now looking at it as the Oxford Conservation Consortium's first piece of work for the Christ Church library and archive collections since the College joined the Oxford Conservation Consortium in October. We are all looking forward to our involvement with these remarkable collections, both in terms of practical repair work and having an oversight of their ongoing preservation. continued on page 9 THIS ISSUE Conserving Remmelin's Catoptrum From Manuscripts to Mandrake Roots Cooking and Dining at Christ Church Time Capsule under Restoration Medieval Tiles in the Allestree Library Funding the Allestree Library Restoration Medieval MSS from Mainz in Oxford-Part 2 Illuminations and Icons in the Making Breaking the Canon? Manuscript 28 and the Traditions of Byzantine vs Western Illumination FROM MANUSCRIPTS TO MANDRAKE ROOTS Christ Church Library, Its History and Treasures A library like this contains not just books but also objects, some obvious additions to the library's collections, some less so. Inevitably, this will be a partial account, based on my own likes and prejudices, but I hope that it will give you some idea of the wonderful institution which is Christ Church Library. Detail of decorated initial from the 1167 manuscript containing Augustine's Sermons (MS 88, fol. 4).

Renaissance Quarterly, Jan 1, 2011

N. Iorga's Oxford doctorate No other Romanian scholar has been awarded more honorary doctorates t... more N. Iorga's Oxford doctorate No other Romanian scholar has been awarded more honorary doctorates than N. Iorga. This article explores in detail the impact the Oxford doctorate had on him. Starting from documents recently disclosed in the Hoover Institute from Stanford (California) and Oxford University Archives, it brings to light Iorga's own thoughts and reactions at the news, while, at the same time, discussing the event within the wider context in which it happened. The article reconstructs the storyline focusing on a few days in the spring of 1930. It begins with 21 March, the date when, while still on board of Aquitania on his return trip from the United States, Iorga sent two telegrammes: one to Nicolae Titulesco (then Romania's minister in the UK), and the second to the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. Both telegrams were sent in gratitude at receiving the news about the honorary doctorate conferred on 3 May. The full picture around this solemnity staged, as always, at the Sheldonian Theatre, emerges from a variety of documents, such as the text of the oration delivered in Latin by JIG Pointer at the ceremony, Iorga's own detailed notes in the diary, his autobiography published soon after in 1934 and various articles.

At first sight, there seems to be precious little linking the topics of coffee houses, libraries ... more At first sight, there seems to be precious little linking the topics of coffee houses, libraries and connoisseurship. Yet, if we examine 18th-century culture a little more attentively, we are bound to discover surprising and important connections. This paper aims to highlight just a few. With its promise of cultural and intellectual improvement, connoisseurship appealed to the highly educated with financial means. Such gentlemen could immerse themselves in passionate study, attended universities and gained knowledge of classical languages, literature, religion, philosophy, and history. They could also embark on Continental Grand Tours and tended to establish great and varied collections. In this context, the 18th-century vision of the coffee house as a centre for cultural exchange and learning, complements the concept of connoisseurship, offering one of its ideal formats. Joseph Addison and Richard Steele worked quickly to capitalise on this perception of the coffee house, adopting in The Spectator the intention of filling these newly opened establishments with culture, knowledge, ideas, reason, philosophy, opinion and, above all, conversation. The goal appears to have been to create a context conducive to dialogue among like minds. This, together with the passion for connoisseurship and a consummate engagement in collecting on a grand scale, have spectacularly changed the paradigm for 18th-century libraries. How this happened and what this means will be the main focus of my talk. To illustrate the case in question, I will dwell on a library I know well, that of Christ Church, Oxford.

Prior to Dürer, pictorial representations of melancholy were typically found in treatises on medi... more Prior to Dürer, pictorial representations of melancholy were typically found in treatises on medicine, and in broadsheets and almanacs, where it surfaced as the most undesirable of the four temperaments Dürer dramatically changed all this. Several of his works dwell on this topic. A close look reveals that the artist's interpretation probably stems from Florentine Neoplatonic thought, expressed in Marsilio Ficino's De Vita Triplici (Florence, 1489) where it is suggested that the melancholic condition is an essential part of intellectual creativity. This paper aims to explore the possible link between this theory and Dürer’s determination to bring ideas to life through unconventional thought, unexpected associations and the power of mathematics. Space, figures and the objects populating his compositions are all part of a complex language trying to bring forth a layer of meaning beyond that immediately apparent.

Several bibliographies list the “Processus Universalis” (an alchemical treatise quoted as publish... more Several bibliographies list the “Processus Universalis” (an alchemical treatise quoted as published under the pseudonym of Nicolaus Melchior in the 1525 Museum hermeticum) among Nicolaus Olahus’ works. This piece of information is clearly wrong. The 1525 Museum hermeticum does not include a Processus
universalis by Melchior. However, there is an alchemical treatise, the Processus sub forma missae, published in Zetzner’s 1602 Theatrum chemicum, attributed to the above author. Despite appearing in Michael Maier’s Symbola aureae mensae duodecim nationum among such illustrious figures as Avicenna, Albertus Magnus and Raymond Lull, very little is known about Nicolaus Melchior Cibinensis, apart from the fact that he lived in early sixteenth-century Transylvania. Attributing what is essentially an alchemical treatise to Olahus is problematic, but the fact nevertheless opens an interesting discussion. The “Processus” is an intriguing text, a paraphrase of the Holy Mass in terms of an alchemical discourse. The identity of its author continues to puzzle, with Olahus remaining one of the possible candidates.

This paper, together with contributions by James Carley (York University, Toronto), David Rundle ... more This paper, together with contributions by James Carley (York University, Toronto), David Rundle (University of Kent) and Daryl Green (then at Magdalen College) was presented at a symposium bringing together recent research on the Christ Church Epistle (MS 101) and Magdalen Gospel (MS lat. 223) Lectionaries commissioned by Thomas Wolsey in the late 1520s. The conference marked the launch of the website where the images of the fully digitised codices are now displayed side-by-side using the newest of technology coming out of the Bodleian digital labs. To view the manuscripts and read the most recent studies focusing on Wolsey's commissions, please go to http://www.wolseymanuscripts.ac.uk

Before dwelling on the specifics of the Lewis Carroll archive at Christ Church, one needs to put ... more Before dwelling on the specifics of the Lewis Carroll archive at Christ Church, one needs to put it in context. The context is important not only because of the sheer size of the college's Special Collections, but also because Lewis Carroll knew these well in his role of Sub-librarian (1855-1857). To what extent might specific manuscripts and early printed books have inspired Carroll when he started sketching the illustrations for Alice's Adventures Underground is a subject open to discussion. However, if we look at them carefully, I am sure we can all agree that there is a certain degree of "otheworldliness" in both the illustrations of many manuscripts and early printed books and in Carroll's sketches. This talk aims to dwell on the story of these sketches.

Sixteenth-century proportional studies and the topic of man as microcosm are fascinating in that ... more Sixteenth-century proportional studies and the topic of man as microcosm are fascinating in that texts and representations of the concept complement each other in one of the most successful dialogues across disciplines. Ficino’s ideas on man’s ascent toward God had a strong impact on the best known of these, namely Leonardo’s proportional studies on Vitruvius. Also admittedly influenced by Ficino was Agrippa
of Nettesheim, who, in his turn, had a huge impact on Dürer. This paper aims to explore the impact of Ficino on art theory during the Renaissance and the means in which texts and images on a specific topic complemented each other.

Less ambitious than the large books, Albrecht Dürer’s broadsheets are serious in tone and often e... more Less ambitious than the large books, Albrecht Dürer’s broadsheets are serious in tone and often embed short didactic stories within a simple, unsophisticated verse structure. The poems are Dürer’s own. At first sight, they do not seem to be overtly sophisticated and indeed, the verse is, in most cases cropped from contemporary reproductions. However, when scrutinized carefully, the text, simple and unpolished as it may appear, is not superfluous. Regarded in conjunction with the image, it gives the broadsheet a whole new lease of life. The effect and immediacy of it is almost like that of a newsreel. A form of short documentary prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, newsreels are now out of fashion. Television news broadcasting completely supplanted their role. The comparison may look far-fetched and artificial, but like newsreels, Dürer’s broadsheets can be regarded as significant historical documents. They typically feature items of topical interest, and, as such are precious, though unexpected, records of the time. When compared to his other achievements in the visual arts, these broadsheets may seem unimportant. They however should not so easily be overlooked. Their wide accessibility as prints and their bimedial form of expression, blending text and image, ensured direct communication with what we may assume was a fairly large and varied readership. This paper is an attempt to account for their impact on their contemporaries on the one hand, and their usefulness as models in the study of sixteenth-century print culture on the other.

It appears that Ficino had little interest in art. Art however often found inspiration in his tho... more It appears that Ficino had little interest in art. Art however often found inspiration in his thought. Sixteenth-century proportional studies and the topic of man as microcosm are fascinating in that texts and representations of the concept complement each other in one of the most successful dialogues across disciplines. Leonardo’s proportional studies on Vitruvius and Gauricus's De sculptura could be discussed in connection to Ficino’s ideas on man's ascent towards God. This paper aims to explore the impact of Ficino on art theory during the Renaissance in general, and particularly on the work of Albrecht Dürer.

My intention in this talk was to explore an aspect of Albrecht Dürer's work largely ignored in mo... more My intention in this talk was to explore an aspect of Albrecht Dürer's work largely ignored in most commentaries - namely his interest in language and writing. When compared to his achievements in the visual arts, Dürer's literary attempts may seem unimportant. However, not only did he cultivate various genres with enthusiastic confidence, he also consciously integrated the fluidity of written expression within the space of his pictorial or graphic works. This interplay between image and written language is one of the main features of Dürer's style. This talk was an attempt to account for this statement, by presenting a careful consideration of a few works which display a textual dimension alongside the visual.

The fifteenth-century was an exceptional period in the history of the kingdom of Hungary. Despite... more The fifteenth-century was an exceptional period in the history of the kingdom of Hungary. Despite major tensions caused by, on the one hand, external bids for supremacy and, on the other, internal frictions between political parties, the time was one of significant intellectual achievements. This talk focused on the Hungarian nostalgia for the heyday of its Corvinian glory.

The densely intertextual Commentary on Lorenzo’s own poetry is unfinished and only survives in no... more The densely intertextual Commentary on Lorenzo’s own poetry is unfinished and only survives in non-autograph manuscripts and posthumous editions. Despite this however, it was a well-known and much discussed piece among Lorenzo’s intellectual circle. Very much an opera aperta of its day, the Commentary is particularly interesting as it reflects on the thought of many of its first readers, and successfully challenges them to enter the dialogue. Marsilio Ficino was one of these readers. His influence on Lorenzo’s sonnets is an undisputed fact, acknowledged by the poet himself. The latter’s creative departures from his mentor’s ideas is a topic which raises many more questions. This talk focused on one such key departure from mainstream Ficino: Lorenzo’s interpretation of the “literalness of imagination” in connection with the theme of the soul falling in love.

Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568) was a very influential diplomat, a man of the church and humanist at ... more Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568) was a very influential diplomat, a man of the church and humanist at the court of King Louis II, then of Queen Mary of Hungary in Brussels and finally of King Ferdinand I. He is also known for his literary output. The popularity of the Hungaria and the Athila has always been one of the characteristic features of the reception of Olahus’s works, and most critics appear to agree on the self-sufficiency of the pieces in relation to each other. Indeed, it is not difficult to concede that these works are entirely functional when regarded as discrete units. But having said this, one cannot help noticing a number of elements suggesting a structural relationship. The aim of this talk was to introduce these pieces in the context of Olahusț work as a whole and to plead for a symbiotic union between Olahus’s Hungaria and Athila.

In a world in which the model of imitatio Christi became increasingly irrelevant, Renaissance sch... more In a world in which the model of imitatio Christi became increasingly irrelevant, Renaissance scholars turned to the ancient ideal of the vir civilis. Judged by his interest in mnemotechnics and the often unsettling theological convictions he defended, Bruno appears to be closer to past traditions. However, if scrutinized from the perspective of his literary work as a whole, the philosopher may be seen as having fashioned himself to follow the new model of a highly creative and politically aware human being. Despite their range, Bruno’s writings are surprisingly homogenous. He was able to express the subtleties of both Latin and the vernacular with equal ease. But is it his ability to cross boundaries moving skilfully from prose to poetry in the short space of sometimes no more than a paragraph that gives his voice its unmistakable ring. In most cases he writes in direct response to exterior circumstances. The quality of his discourse reveals the exceptional control of a great orator grafted on a exceptionally gifted poet, his art meant to be bewitching one with the capacity of a carmen to charm and a cantus to enchant. This talk aimed at revealing some of its poetically charged modulations.

The importance of emblematic imagery in relation to discursive speech permeates Renaissance liter... more The importance of emblematic imagery in relation to discursive speech permeates Renaissance literature, with Ficino as one of its most articulate promoters. Linked with his theories regarding celestial hierarchies and contemplation, Ficino’s vision on the function of visual symbols had a profound (even if less obvious) impact upon Renaissance creative minds. Inspired by the doctrine that all harmony reflects a heavenly order, visual symbols are interpreted to derive from cosmic laws and their effect on the human mind is not to be taken lightly. They often accompany literary texts in a puzzling manner, suggesting direct references to Neo-Platonic concepts in general and to Ficino’s ideas in particular. Among the most interesting writers to have been influenced by Ficino’s treatment of the image is Giordano Bruno. The latter’s extensive use of emblems, diagrams and mandala-like figures is meant to challenge the reader. Most of Bruno’s visual references are not conventional representations. They postulate magical effects by virtue of being harmonically linked with the celestial essences they embody. This talk explored the role of this type of images in the context of Bruno’s poetics, discussing their source in Ficino’s theory of symbolic iconography.

To honour the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, Christ Church hosted a small and... more To honour the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, Christ Church hosted a small and focused display of books and drawings from the Renaissance period. Two early printed editions of Dante’s Comedy, describing the poet’s vision of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, show the impact of the new technology on the appearance of the poem and its illustration. Three fine drawings from the late 16th century by Jacopo Ligozzi, the principal surviving evidence of a larger project to create engravings to accompany the entire poem, give the visitor a dramatic introduction to the narrative of the poet who is lost in the forest, assailed by wild beasts, and helped towards salvation by the poet Virgil. The two volumes on display are from the Library collections. One was the beautifully illustrated La comedia di Dante Aligieri con la noua espositione di Alessandro Vellutello. This 1544 edition was printed in Venice by Francesco Marcolini with a commentary by Alessandro Vellutello. The work is accompanied by 87 woodcuts of different sizes, attributed to the printer Francesco Marcolini, friend of Titian and Sansovino. This is a famous edition, among the most sought after. It served as a model for all illustrated versions of the sixteenth century. The second volume on display was the exquisitely produced 1484 edition, the Comento di Christophoro Landino fiorentino sopra La comedia di Danthe Alighieri poeta fiorentino (Christ Church shelfmark e.2.51). Printed in Venice by Ottaviano Scoto, this is the second edition with Landino's comment of the Divine Comedy, after the first published in 1481.

This exhibition, curated by Cristina Neagu and Judith Curthoys, is dedicated to generous, learned... more This exhibition, curated by Cristina Neagu and Judith Curthoys, is dedicated to generous, learned and talented Christ Church women, and their important contributions throughout the ages.Unsurprisingly, women are not well-represented in the archive until modern times, but that is not to say they are not there at all. Christ Church had female tenants, female staff, and female benefactors from the foundation in 1546. The same is true for the Library. Proportionally, there are fewer documents highlighting women's presence. However, Christ Church is a royal foundation and the reigning monarch acts as the representative of the Founder, as its 'Visitor'. As a consequence, among the monarchs who left a mark in exciting Library holdings are Elizabeth I and Queen Anne. Also, some of the most valuable volumes in the Library were donated by women. These include Anne, Countess of Ancram and Mildred Cecil, Lady Burghley. In addition, the Library houses little-known, but important contributions from women writers, like Lady Eleanor Douglas, and artists, like Alice Liddell.

This exhibition launched two books published by Oxford University Press: Liddell & Scott, edited ... more This exhibition launched two books published by Oxford University Press: Liddell & Scott, edited by Christopher Stray, Michael Clarke and Joshua T. Katz; and Rediscovering E. R. Dodds, edited by Christopher Stray, Christopher Pelling and Stephen Harrison. In the nineteenth century the study of Greek, embedded in elite culture and schooling, was exemplified in the Greek-English Lexicon of Henry Liddell and Robert Scott, first published in 1843. Liddell, who refused the Regius Chair of Greek at Oxford in 1855, was Dean of Christ Church from 1854 till 1891. At his death in 1898, eight editions of the lexicon had been published; the 9th edition, published 1925-40, remains the world’s standard Greek lexicon, and Gilbert Murray (Regius Professor 1908-36) viewed the 9th edition ‘with mingled awe, delight and longing’. Murray also, though, declared that it was more important to study Greece than Greek, and his successor in the chair, E.R.Dodds (Regius Professor 1936-60) did both, producing not only editions of a Euripides play and a Platonic dialogue, but also The Greeks and the Irrational (1951), one of the outstanding books on Classics of the twentieth century.

Geometry was at the core for understanding a wide range of scientific issues in the early modern ... more Geometry was at the core for understanding a wide range of scientific issues in the early modern period. Christ Church Library houses spectacular collections of early printed books, manuscripts and instruments focused on mathematics and astronomy. The library and scientific tools of polymath Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery, bequeathed to the institution in 1731, is the largest and best known of these. However, equally important at least, are a respectable number of little studied manuscripts by early modern Oxford mathematicians, such as David Gregory and Charles Scarborough, and an impressive number of intensely annotated rare editions of fundamental treatises on geometry and the study of perspective scattered among the Orrery and other Christ Church collections. With the new translations of Euclid into Latin starting in the 12th century, theoretical geometry entered the university curriculum and from that moment on, the religious and speculative dimensions of this discipline have never ceased to attract mathematicians, philosophers and artists alike. Geometrical proportion and symmetry allowed a glimpse into the realm of transcendental beauty, while phenomena of vision were approached using the points, lines, shapes and other data of geometry to elicit mental constructions. Whether sculpting a statue, painting a picture, designing a building, or navigating the skies or the seas, visual information became encoded into a variety of geometrically organised graphs, grids and matrices. During the early modern period, several remarkable generations of scientists, artists, humanists, engineers and craftsmen started looking at the world in a new way, converting perceived reality into mathematical space.

"The Mathematics of Space" at Christ Church, curated by Cristina Neagu, is part of the "Thinking 3D" series of events, coordinated by Daryl Green (Magdalen College, Oxford University) and Laura Moretti (University of St Andrews), organised in the UK during 2018-2019. For details, see https://www.thinking3d.ac.uk/about/. This is a project focused on the development of techniques and technologies used to communicate three-dimensional forms in two-dimensional media. In this context, starting with the Renaissance, thinking about vision involved more than applying Euclidean rules to fixed objects and spaces. In art, to quote Leon Battista Alberti, this translated into a new, somewhat mesmerising, 'logic of likeness', which, in turn, developed into the study of perspective, an exciting novel technique for processing visual information by means of geometric construction. Treated this way, three-dimensional forms appeared to represent natural objects far more realistically than had any previous depictions, and yet, they did so by creating illusions of reality. Such technical manipulations involved a great deal of deception, but also contributed to the technology of relational numeracy and analysis woven deep into the fabric of astronomy.

The exhibition opened at Christ Church aimed to highlight the role of the college in teaching geometry and astronomy at Oxford during the 17th and 18th centuries. Thematically, it mainly focued on exploring the impact of Euclid, Archimedes, Serenus and Pappus of Alexandria on both art and early modern geometry. Also on show were treatises on the study of perspective by Luca Pacioli, Jean François Nicéron, Joseph Moxon and Albrecht Dürer, as well as manuscripts by early modern mathematicians like David Gregory, Charles Scarburgh, Willebrord Snell, Nicolas Mercator and Edmund Halley. On display was also be a pair of heliocentric and ptolemaic orreries and a spectacular set of terrestrial and celestial globes, and globes of the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars, glossing on how the skies were perceived and mapped, and how much developments in the geometry of vision contributed to make this possible.

To commemorate Johann Joachim Winckelmann's anniversaries 2017/2018, Christ Church Library opene... more To commemorate Johann Joachim Winckelmann's anniversaries 2017/2018, Christ Church Library opened an exhibition and series of events in collaboration with the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford and the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, University of Reading (a particularly appropriate partnership, since the University of Reading owes its origins to an extension college - University Extension College, Reading - founded by Christ Church in 1892). Like many antiquarians of his day, the German art historian and archaeologist Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768) first learned about the ancient world through immersion in literature. As a teacher then librarian in his native Germany, Winckelmann encountered the classics primarily through literary texts, as well as the souvenirs—coins, gems and figurines—that Grand Tourists and other travellers had brought north from their visits to Italy. Once he arrived in Rome, where he rose to prominence at Prefect of Antiquities in the Vatican, Winckelmann studied the remains of Greek, Graeco-Roman and Roman art on a larger scale. Through personal contacts, letters and other writings, Winckelmann influenced his and subsequent generations of scholars, aesthetes, collectors, craftsmen and artists both within and beyond Italy. Winckelmann and Curiosity in the 18th-Century Gentleman's Library explores the scholar's varied influence on the arts in Britain, through printed media, architecture and decorative arts. The exhibition was curated by Amy Smith, Katherine Harloe and Cristina Neagu.

More than a House for Books, curated by David Rundle and Cristina Neagu, considered the place of ... more More than a House for Books, curated by David Rundle and Cristina Neagu, considered the place of the Western manuscripts within the wider context of the Library’s eclectic riches. It delineated how what we now know as its ‘Special Collections’ came to be owned by Christ Church and considered what that tells us about the purpose and scope of a library. Unexpected items in the collections include: scientific and musical instruments, coins, drawings, a tapestry, a "porridge bowl", mandrakes and, allegedly, "Cardinal Wolsey's hat". There are also a number of unusual manuscripts and books. To read more about this, please see Mandrakes in the Library, by David Rundle (https://bonaelitterae.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/mandrakes-in-the-library/)

The exhibition coincided with the publication of R. Hanna and D. Rundle, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Western Manuscripts, to c. 1600, in Christ Church, Oxford, the first in a planned series of manuscript catalogues offering detailed codicological, textual and historical descriptions. For details, see https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/library-and-archives/descriptive-catalogue-western-manuscripts-c-1600-christ-church-oxford. The lavishly illustrated volume is published by the Oxford Bibliographical Society in its Special Series of Manuscript Catalogues.

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Hakluyt's death in November 1616, in autumn 2016, the Lib... more To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Hakluyt's death in November 1616, in autumn 2016, the Library at Christ Church prepared a major exhibition and series of events in collaboration with the Hakluyt Society, Bodleian Library and Museum for the History of Science. On behalf of the Hakluyt Society, the series of events is coordinated by Professor Daniel Carey (NUI, Galway), Professor Claire Jowitt (UEA) and Anthony Payne, in partnership with Dr Alexandra Franklin (Bodleian), Dr Stephen Johnston (MHS) and Dr Cristina Neagu. Events started with the opening of the exhibition Hakluyt and Geography in Oxford 1550–1650. This exhibition was launched at Christ Church on 14 October 2016 with a symposium on Renaissance scientific instruments. Professor Jim Bennett (MHS) and Dr Johnston have accepted our invitation to speak at the symposium, at which our archivist Judith Curthoys added a few details about Christ Church in Hakluyt’s time. On 28 October, a related exhibition, The World in a Book: Hakluyt and Renaissance Discovery, opened at the Bodleian Library. This exhibition will be launched with a lecture by Dr William Poole (New College). A two-day conference, Hakluyt and the Renaissance Discovery of the World, was held on 24 November at the Bodleian Library, and on 25 November at Christ Church. Twenty renowned experts on Hakluyt and early modern travel and exploration have accepted an invitation to speak at the conference. The keynote speaker on 24 November was Professor Joyce Chaplin (Harvard University). At the conclusion of the event on 25 November, a free to attend public lecture, "Voyages, Traffiques, Discoveries", was given by the broadcaster and historian Professor Michael Wood.

This exhibition, curated by John Milsom and Cristina Neagu, showcases the music-books used by sin... more This exhibition, curated by John Milsom and Cristina Neagu, showcases the music-books used by singers in the age of Queen Elizabeth I, with special emphasis on partbooks. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, church choirs typically sang from large choirbooks, in which different areas of the double-page spread displayed the various voice-parts of a composition. Four or more singers stand in front of the book, each reading her or his own part. No other manuscripts in the Christ Church music collection are finer than the set of five partbooks copied by Robert Dow. He was a lawyer by profession, and a fellow of All Souls College, so his partbooks are in effect the product of his leisure time, and they combine his love of music with his interest in calligraphy. We also have the scribe John Baldwin to thank for saving many important Tudor compositions from oblivion. Without the copies he made in his partbooks, many dozens of pieces would have been partly or wholly lost. This exhibition is also the result of a successful collaboration with Tudor Partbooks Project (Oxford and Newcastle Universities) and the Oxford Early Music Festival. The exhibition opened with a talk by Dr John Milsom, leading Tudor music scholar, and a concert by Magnificat, featuring pieces from the Christ Church Music Collection. Magnificat is one of the world’s premier vocal ensembles, internationally acclaimed for its sophisticated, historically-informed performance of Renaissance choral masterpieces.

Sir John Beazley, who held his first academic position at Christ Church, revolutionized the study... more Sir John Beazley, who held his first academic position at Christ Church, revolutionized the study of Greek figure-decorated pottery. The exhibition presents Beazley's work and assesses his lasting influence.

The exhibition (open from 26 January to 3 May 2016) is curated by Diana Rodríguez Pérez, Thomas Mannack and Cristina Neagu.

Visiting hours:

Monday: 2:00 pm - 4.30 pm;
Tuesday - Thursday: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm; 2:00 pm - 4.00 pm (provided there is a member of staff available in the Upper Library).

An exhibition, curated by Allan Chapman and Cristina Neagu, to mark the 350th anniversary of the ... more An exhibition, curated by Allan Chapman and Cristina Neagu, to mark the 350th anniversary of the publication of Robert Hooke's Micrographia, the first book of microscopy. The event was organized at Christ Church, where Hooke was an undergraduate from 1653 to 1658, and included a lecture (on Monday 30 November at 5:15 pm in the Upper Library) by Allan Chapman. Dr Chapman is a historian of science at Oxford University with a special interest in the history of astronomy. He is the author of 13 books and over 130 journal articles, and has made several television programmes. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a founder member and President of the Society for the History of Astronomy.

The main purpose of this exhibition, curated by Edward Wakeling, Cristina Neagu and Allan Chapman... more The main purpose of this exhibition, curated by Edward Wakeling, Cristina Neagu and Allan Chapman, was to show the range and variety of photographs taken by Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Dodgson) from topography to still-life, from portraits of famous Victorians to his own family and wide circle of friends. Carroll spent nearly twenty-five years taking photographs, all using the wet-collodion process, from 1856 to 1880. The main sources of the photographs on display are Christ Church Library, the Metropolitan Museum, New York, National Portrait Gallery, London, Princeton University and the University of Texas at Austin.

The prints and accompanying ephemera (trade cards, flyers and proposals for subscription) display... more The prints and accompanying ephemera (trade cards, flyers and proposals for subscription) displayed serve to stress the all-important role of publishers in commissioning and disseminating prints of every sort. Copper Impressions aims to illustrate what might have been printed on Michael Phillips's working replica of a wooden intaglio rolling press, at present here in the Library and so very like the one in Abraham Bosse's Traicté des Manieres de Graver en Taille Douce....& d'en Construire la Presse... (Dean Aldrich's copy of the book was on display); constructions of its type were still current in the 18th-century (though it must be admitted that this particular press is too small to have accommodated the large plates by Sharp and Simon, published by Macklin and Boydell). William Hogarth was an artist who jealously published his own works; Boydell and Macklin were entrepreneurs. A fourth display case gave a glimpse of those who inhabited the milieu in which painters, printmakers and publishers plied their wares. This exhibition, curated by Nicholas Stogdon and Cristina Neagu, was punctuated by several printing workshops conducted by Michael Phillips. It opened with talks on aspects of 18th century engraving, followed by a workshop on printing from relief-etched copper plates.

The aim of this exhibition was to reveal how widespread pagan and Christian imagery about mon... more The aim of this exhibition was to reveal how widespread pagan and Christian imagery about monsters and ethereal beings is. Among the exhibits on display were manuscripts, early printed books and sketches by Lewis Carroll and Dean Liddell, as well as a drawing by John Tenniel and some engravings . A selection of drawings by Vice-Admiral Lord Mark Kerr (1778-1840) were also be on display.

The exhibition explored the relationship between manuscript and print and focused on the importan... more The exhibition explored the relationship between manuscript and print and focused on the importance of considering the two media not only as replacements one for another, but having a joint and interdependent existence during the fifteenth century.

This exhibition invited the viewer to explore the realm of nonsense poetry in the works of Lewis ... more This exhibition invited the viewer to explore the realm of nonsense poetry in the works of Lewis Carroll. On this occasion we have selected material focusing on Father William, Jabberwocky and the Walrus and the Carpenter.

matriculated from Oriel College in 1684, and was said to be 'a very great Rake all the Time he li... more matriculated from Oriel College in 1684, and was said to be 'a very great Rake all the Time he liv'd in the University; and afterwards when in orders was very much addicted to Gaming'. However, he had powerful friends and relationsnot least of who was the duke of Shrewsburyand Talbot was appointed dean of Worcester, then bishop of Oxford, and finally bishop of Durham. D&C viii.a.6 One of two, this C13 pewter coffin chalice with its paten, was discovered during Victorian excavations in the cathedral. These were deposited in the archive in the 1990s. The chalice was identified with the priesthood, and it was usual during the medieval period for a small chalice of metal or of wax to be buried with a priest in his tomb. D&C xvii.c.4 Occasionally, during excavations or just during refurbishments, odd items can be recovered. This C14 jetton of Edward II was found in one of the canonry gardens in 1978. It was identified by the Ashmolean Museum, and deposited in the Muniment Room in 1992. The coins of Charles III and Charles IV of Spain were found in a student's room during redecorating. Charles III was king of Spain 1759-1788, and was succeeded by his son, Charles, who reigned until his death 1808. The two smaller coins are of ½ escudo value (dated 1784 and 1786), and the larger one is of 1 escudo (dated 1792).