Current Exhibition - Text | Image: Books from the Dorothy B. Edinburg Promised Gift

On show in this exhibition is a selection of books from the promised gift of Dorothy Braude Edinburg to the Harry B. and Bessie K. Braude Memorial Collection. Comprising almost four hundred titles, the collection ranges from the 16th to the 20th century in date and contains not only some of the major monuments of the French livre d’artiste tradition ca. 1860-1960 but also illustrated works from England, Germany (including some Dada works), Italy, and Russia (including some Futurist works) as well as well as French works antedating 1860. In assembling these books, the collector has been particularly concerned about the relationship between artist and text (if not always author), seeking the expression of integration between text and image. 

The ancient classical tradition—history, literature and myth—is a recurrent theme in many of these works.

Collection Highlight -
Daniel H. Burnham Photograph Albums

This year Chicago is celebrating the centennial of the Plan of Chicago, written by Daniel H. Burnham and Edward H. Bennett. As the repository for the papers of both architects, the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries have been involved in many of the programs developed for the centennial. A very special event was the gathering of Burnham family heirs in April 2008 in the Libraries' Reading Room. On that occasion the Libraries received three photograph albums and some business papers from family members, as well as the loan of two silver loving cups that had been given to Burnham.

The photograph albums are important and fascinating additions to the Burnham archives offering rare images of the private Burnham, with his wife, his children, and his friends. For a complete description and finding aid for collection, click here.

We are deeply grateful to the Mardi Burnham LeGrow Family, Christy Burnham Laier, Kendall Morris, and the Hubert Burnham, Jr. Family for their generous gifts to the Burnham archives, and to George Wells III and Mardi Burnham Brayton for the loan of the loving cups, currently on view in the Reading Room.

Image: Photograph of Burnham family from the Daniel H. Burnham Collection (1934.1) at the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries. Front row: Daniel, Jr., Hubert and Margaret B. Back row: John, Ethel, Daniel and Roland Woodyatt

Collection Highlight -
Digitized Artists' sketchbooks

Sketchbooks by artists Peter Joseph Weber and Alfred Juergens have been digitized and can be seen online with great clarity. You must have Microsoft Silverlight downloaded on your computer in order to view the sketchbooks.

Image: Detail from Peter Joseph Weber sketchbook.