This week on Campus Voices, we took a trip to the University of Delaware’s Special Collections department at the Morris Library to see the newest exhibition “Victorian Passions: Stories from the Mark Samuels Lasner Collection.” We met with the donor, Mark Samuels Lasner, and the curator, Dr. Margaret Stetz. Lasner and Stetz took us around the exhibition, highlighting some key items that give us a look into the Victorian world and the passions of that era.
The Mark Samuels Lasner Collection is comprised of over 9,500 items, including artworks, manuscripts, and rare books by distinguished writers, poets, and artists of the Victorian era. As a child, Lasner gained interest in Victorian writers and artists and his fascination motivated him to begin collecting these invaluable artifacts. He has graciously donated his impressive collection, and Stetz has curated this exhibition, so that students, faculty, and anyone interested may learn more about the collection.
This exhibition will be available until June 30, 2017 in the Special Collections Gallery on the second floor of the Morris Library. After that, the items in the Mark Samuels Lasner collection will continue to be available through Library Special Collections so that students, faculty, and the public can view and study these items and learn about their history.
The Interview
Victorian Passions, recorded on May 9, 2017. First aired on May 18, 2017.
29:55
57.4 MB
About our guests
Mark Samuels Lasner is a renowned collecter, bibliographer, and typographer of literature and art of the Victorian era. After receiving his degree from Connecticut College, Mark became a curator at multiple institutions. Mark is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Delaware Library and has authored numerous articles and books.
Dr. Margaret Stetz is the Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women’s Studies and Professor of Humanities here at the University of Delaware. Dr. Stetz received her B.A. from Queens College, a M.A. from the University of Sussex, and a second M.A. and Ph.D from Harvard University. In addition to teaching, she has published over 100 essays on a variety of topics including Victorian art, women and war, and neo-Victorian film.
Learn More
- “Victorian Passions” exhibition information
- “Victorian Passions” online exhibition
- Fine Books magazine article about the Mark Samuels Lasner’s collection
- American History Printing Association’s article about the collection
Credits
Richard Gordon: Producer, co-host, audio engineer
Julia Giambastiani: Audio editor
Rachel Silva: Co-host, web page author and editor