Collection items

A Harlot’s Progress

Engraving

William Hogarth’s A Harlot’s Progress charts the unfortunate fall of the likeable Moll Hackabout from pretty young ing&e...

An exact view of the inside of the Court of the Pr...

Etching, Engraving, View Created date: 1706-39

It was common practice in early modern printmaking to repurpose existing engravings. This print of the inner courtyard o...

An illustration of Ganesh

Image, Manuscript, Illustration Created date: c. 18th century

This is one of 12 miniatures from a manuscript of Hindu rituals and devotional tracts. The manuscript is written in the...

Bhagavad Gita, 18th century

Manuscript Created date: 18th century

A finely illustrated manuscript version of the Bhagavad Gītā, one of the most inspiring expressions of Hindu spiritualit...

Devi Mahatmya

Manuscript Created date: 18th century

An illustrated version of the Devī Māhātmya (‘Glorification of the Goddess’), describing the Goddess Durgā’s battle agai...

Dutch Baroque gardens

Book, View, Engraving, Hand colouring

These views of Dutch country houses and gardens form three volumes of an atlas devoted to the Netherlands. It was put to...

Early 18th century Ottoman munseat

Manuscript Created date: Early 18th century

The İnşā’-i a‘là belongs to a common genre of literature in the Ottoman Empire called münşeat. These works includ...

Engraving of the burnt Magna Carta

Charter, Illustration Created date: 1733

The Cotton library of manuscripts was damaged by fire in 1731. The damaged Magna Carta seems not to have been severely i...

Haftarot for Passover

Manuscript Created date: 1700–1799

The manuscript contains Haftarot (singular Haftarah) for the Passover festival. What is Haftarah? Haftarah is a selected...

Jain diagram Two and a Half Continents, Adhai-dvip...

Manuscript, Map Created date: 18th century

Jains believe the universe is divided in three worlds: the heavens, the middle world and the hells. This is a traditiona...

Janam-sakhī

Manuscript Created date: 1733 CE

Janamsakhi

Jewish marriage-ring

Object Created date: 16th–19th century

This elaborate Jewish marriage-ring has a delicate pattern of twisted gold threads and bright enamel flowers. The ring f...

Jonathan Swift's letters to Henrietta Howard

Manuscript Created date: 1723–1735

This series of entertaining but eventually bitter letters were exchanged between Jonathan Swift and Henrietta Howard, Co...

Letters from John Gay to Jonathan Swift about The ...

Manuscript, Letter Created date: 1711‒1738

These letters record the friendship between two of the most celebrated authors of the 18th century – John Gay and Jonath...

Oxford

Watercolour, View Created date: 1731-1809

This watercolour was used as an extra-illustration to Walter Thornbury’s Life of Turner, where Paul Sandby is described ...