Old Soldiers Never Die…

The Friends of Leiden University Libraries contribute to the acquisition of a late Ottoman luxury manuscript

Arnoud Vrolijk • March 14, 2023

‘ô Mia Divinità’- Bilderdijk’s Love Letters

Few love letters are more passionate and profound than those written by Romantic poets like Willem Bilderdijk. The real story of his love life, however, is complex and sadly filled with strife.

Rick Honings • February 14, 2023

A unique copy of a Yuan dynasty play from the Van Gulik Collection

The only surviving copy of a Chinese northern drama published by Wang Tingne: "Record of the Celestial Book" is held in the Asian Library Van Gulik Collection.

Guest author • January 17, 2023

Johan Huizinga’s archives, a goldmine for his works

150 years since the birth of Johan Huizinga, his academic archive held at Leiden University Libraries is a treasure trove of knowledge and insight.

Anton van der Lem • December 06, 2022

World history as river delta: The first Stream of Times-map

A new map genre emerged in the 19th century: the Stream of Times-map, depicting history as a system of dividing and converging rivers. Friedrich Strass published 'Der Strom der Zeiten' in 1803, considered a first of its kind. Dutchman Johan Willem Scheele, however, designed one a century earlier.

Martijn Storms • November 22, 2022

Bad blood at an 18th-century printing type auction

Printers kept a close eye on each other in the 18th-century Dutch book industry. A stinging comment from printer Lobbedanus regarding one of his colleagues gives an intriguing insight into the trade of printing types.

Guest author • October 18, 2022

The success story of Jacques Aanstoots, electrical engineer in the Dutch East Indies: part 2

The Special Collections of Leiden University hold the diaries of Jacques Aanstoots (1910-1912). They attract the attention of the Dutch readership for the name of the writer alone: ‘aanstoot’ means ‘offence’ in Dutch. Who was he? What did he write? And how did ‘his’ writings function?

• September 27, 2022

The success story of Jacques Aanstoots, electrical engineer in the Dutch East Indies: part 1

The Leiden Special Collections hold the diaries of Jacques Aanstoots (1910-1912). They attract the attention of the Dutch readership for the name of the writer alone: ‘aanstoot’ means ‘offence’ in Dutch. Who was he? What did he write? And how did ‘his’ writings function?

Guest author • September 20, 2022

An Unknown Latin Manuscript Translation of Descartes’ 'L’Homme'

A previously unknown manuscript of a Latin translation of Descartes’ L’homme has resurfaced in the collection of the UBL. A stunning discovery at a time of renewed interest in L’homme. Hopes are that the manuscript can help solve the problematic history of the text and numerous textual problems.

Guest author • August 18, 2022