Friday, October 23, 2009

Dartmouth Night

A black and white photograph of a bonfire on a lawn.Started in 1895 by President William Jewett Tucker, Dartmouth Night was originally a recognition of accomplishments by alumni of the college and a time to initiate freshman into the community.  Over the years, the celebration has come to include the traditional bonfire, homecoming events, and a football game.  Shown here is the bonfire from 1911 - one of the earliest images of the event.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Flayed Angel

A color plate showing a seated woman from behind, glancing over her shoulder. The skin of back has been cut and pulled to the side to reveal the muscle and bone beneath.Art, science, misogyny, or all three? Whatever the verdict, there is something undeniably shocking and ghoulish about the "Flayed Angel" -- one of many plates found in Jacques Fabian Gautier d'Agoty's lavishly illustrated Suite de l'Essai d'anatomie en tableaux imprimés (Paris: Gautier, 1745). The juxtaposition of the detailed anatomical dissection and the corpse's almost coquettish glance over the shoulder leaves the viewer with a sense of unease and disquiet. Knowing that the corpse was almost certainly that of a convicted felon whose body was sold after death adds to the macabre nature of the illustration.

Ask for Rare Book QM 535 .G377