Love and eroticism in the library...


On 25 March 2010 the University Library is opening the exhibition 'Love and eroticism' and the new exhibition area.

Leiden University Library is organising the exhibition  ‘Liefde en erotiek. Verleid door de collecties van de Universiteit Leiden’ (Love and eroticism. Seduced by the collections of Leiden University) from 25 March to 2 May 2010. Guided by drawings, prints and songs you will learn all about love, lust and courtesy in the 16th and 17th century. With this sensational theme, the new exhibition room will be opened in which the library will show a changing selection of Leiden University’s rich collections (on average 4 selections a year).

Opening
The theme of the opening will be love and eroticism. You will be surprised with spontaneous encounters and unexpected happenings in an appropriate setting. Moreover you can join our experts in the field of 16th and 17th century prints for a tour at the exhibition: Olga van Marion and Jef Schaeps.

The opening event starts at 16h15 in the North Hall of the University Library.
Registration

Registration for the opening on 25 March is closed now.

Of course, you can visit the exhibition between 26 March and 2 May 2010. You also have another chance to visit the exhibition under guidance of one of our experts during the national Museum weekend. More information on the bottom of this page.

Love and eroticism in the 16th and 17th century
How did Eve persuade Adam to take a bite from the Apple? How did things turn out for Jupiter’s mistresses? How would a 17th century nobleman seduce you? And which words did poets use to let lovers turn their heads?
    
Love and erotisicm have exercised many minds for centuries. In art and literature they are an important, if not the most important theme. Love is a nearly inexhaustible source for painters, poets, print makers, musicians and playwriters. The exhibition points its arrows to the 16th and 17th century, an era in which numerous song and emblem collections were dedicated to love, in which mythological scenes dominated in thousands of prints and in which biblical characters would often be captured in a far more seductive picture than today’s pin-ups.

Some highlights at the exhibition are:
  • Drawings by Rembrandt, Abraham van Diepenbeeck, Jan Muller and Bartolomeus Spranger
  • Prints by Lucas van Leyden, Albrecht Dürer and Hans Sebald Beham
  • Song books by Starter, Bredero and Heinsius
  • Emblems by Cats amd Vaenius
  • An autograph manuscript by Joost van den Vondel
We thank the following organisations and individuals for helping us to realise the new exhibition room:

  • VSB Fonds
  • Fonds 1818
  • Springer Uitgeverij
  • Meyvaert Glass Engineering
  • Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde
  • Stichting Vrienden van de Leidse Universiteitsbibliotheek
  • Stichting Vrienden van het Prentenkabinet van de Universiteit Leiden
  • Dr. K.J.J. Korevaart
  • Prof.dr. H.M.J. Krans
  • Mr. T. Landheer

And many other friends...


Museum weekend 10 and 11 April

The exhibition is also open during the national Museum weekend on 10 and 11 April. On the 10th of April you can join one of the free exhibition tours with our expert.

 

A tour will take half an hour maximum and you can register for the following starting times: 12h00, 12h45, 13h30, 14h15, 15h00 or 15h45.

 

Please register in advance for a tour via: aanmelding@library.leidenuniv.nl, mentioning ‘Museum weekend’, the start time of your preferred tour, your name and telephone number. For an unguided visit to the exhibition you need not register.

Relevant links