Category: Thordarson Collection

  • Clockmaking, Early Modern Style

    Posted on Dec 21st

    Illustrations from Derham’s Artificial clock-maker (1734).

  • Tracing Snowflakes

    Posted on Dec 19th

    Unseasonably warm temperatures here in Madison have recently melted what little snow we have received this season. By way of what we’re missing, […]

  • Mandrake in Dodoens’ New Herbal (1578)

    Posted on Oct 12th

    In honor of this weekend’s symposium “On Human Nature: Machiavelli’s Mandrake at 500,” we offer a look at the account and depiction of the […]

  • Closed December 23 through January 1

    Posted on Dec 20th

    The Department of Special Collections will be For more information about other campus libraries, see Library Hours. Please contact us at 608-262-3243 […]

  • Gallery Talk for Iceland Exhibit, Oct. 30, 3 p.m.

    Posted on Oct 25th

    We hope you will join us on Monday, October 30, at 3 PM in Special Collections for an informal gallery talk about our exhibit “Iceland.” […]

  • Falling Leaves

    Posted on Oct 8th

    Though we enjoyed summer-like weather this October weekend, the leaves are beginning to pile up around Madison, calling attention to differential patterns […]

  • On Working and Labor Day 2017

    Posted on Sep 1st

    Although the campus is buzzing with the excitement of football — first home game tonight — and the beginning of classes next […]

  • Darkness at Noon (More or Less)

    Posted on Aug 20th

    Like other special collections libraries prompted by tomorrow’s solar eclipse to post images from their holdings, we weigh in with examples from, […]

  • “Cries of London” in the Thordarson Collection

    Posted on Aug 14th

    While our Thordarson Collection is perhaps best known for its holdings of science and natural history on the one hand and Iceland […]

  • Go, Badgers!

    Posted on Mar 24th

    John James Audubon (best known for his double-elephant folio Birds of America) drew a sharp distinction between the North American badger and […]

  • To Welcome Spring

    Posted on Mar 19th

    To welcome the first day of spring tomorrow, we offer details of hand-colored engravings and distinctive bindings from our holdings. Our copy […]

  • Chazen Exhibition Opens March 3

    Posted on Mar 2nd

    Thanks for the shout-out in the Wisconsin State Journal from artist Martha Glowacki, whose exhibition “Martha Glowacki’s Natural History, Observations and Reflections” at […]