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Centre for the Study of the Nineteenth Century

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  1. Centre for the Study of the Nineteenth Century and its Legacies
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Upcoming events

Meet the Magic Lantern: 19th November 2024

'Meet the Magic Lantern': The Octagon, QMUL, Tuesday 19th November, 6-7.30pm
with introduction, talk and demonstration show by kitt price, brief talk with lantern slides by Rachel Bryant Davies, and lots of interactive discussion.
 
Poster for meet the magic lantern event, with image of alphabet
"Some one had had the happy idea of giving me, to distract me on evenings when I seemed abnormally wretched, a magic lantern, which used to be set on top of my lamp while we waited for dinner-time to come: in the manner of the master-builders and glass-painters of gothic days it substituted for the opaqueness of my walls an impalpable iridescence, supernatural phenomena of many colours, in which legends were depicted, as on a shifting and transitory window. But my sorrows were only increased ..." (Proust, 1922)

The magic lantern as a technology of entertainment and instruction, but also deception and terror, is frequently mentioned in literary and philosophical writings of the long nineteenth century. You may also have encountered lantern slides, or references to them, in archives or biographies. Perhaps you have viewed slides using a light box, or seen a lantern in performance today. You may even have a collection of slides that you picked up on Ebay or at a car boot sale.

 

Whatever your previous encounters with lantern culture, we'd love to hear from you at this interactive 'meet the lantern' evening. If you have slides, you will have the chance to project them on kitt price's lantern.

 

If you have a reference to the lantern from your reading or research, bring that along and we can discuss it. If you want to start thinking about how you could work with archival lantern material in the collections you've used, you can hear about some of the options and exchange ideas.

 

If you just want to enjoy the show, you're also very welcome!

Carols in Context, 9th December 2024, 6-8pm

Back by popular demand...Poster for Carols in Context 2024 showing a Victorian Christmas card

Come one, come all to our 3rd festive event (now an annual feature of the Centre for the Study of the Nineteenth Century and its Legacies!) on Monday 9th December, 6-8pm.
You are warmly invited to Victorian Carols in Context. Join us in Queen Mary’s beautiful Octagon Room (Queens’ Building, Mile End) for mulled wine and mince pies from 6pm. A programme of secular and sacred carols will run from around 6:20pm, led by a choir and contextualised with short critical commentaries from QMUL colleagues (followed by discussion, mingling, and good cheer from around 7-8pm). All welcome!
Booking now live! Please register for free tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/qmul19c/1452712 (non alcoholic options available)
Accessibility information: https://www.accessable.co.uk/queen-mary-university-of-london/mile-end/access-guides/queens-building

Curiosities Party (start-of-year discussion group) 8th October 2024

This gathering will be an opportunity to mingle in person, share updates about Centre activities this year, hear your suggestions, and enjoy some refreshments. We will also segue into informal 'lightning talks' and discussion of work-in-progress or research interests : these roughly 2-minute introduction/summaries in whatever form you wish aren't formal or compulsory — you're most welcome to come and just listen—and don't require any slides or preparation (if you wish to bring a 'show-and-tell' style "Curiosity" you're welcome to do so, however!).

poster for 2024 curiosities party, showing 19th century images of part of the college

 

 

 

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