Friday, February 10, 2017

Basilisk in Rauner

Wood cut image of a basilisk. The basilisk is a very long serpent with an arrow coing out of its mouth and a crown on its head.This year's Winter Carnival theme is "Dartmouth College of Icecraft and Blizzardry." Rauner is hosting an open house this evening (Friday, February 10) from 6:00-7:00 with plenty of old books and manuscripts, and even a very Dartmouth sorting hat. It will get you in the mood for a magical weekend.

What you may not know is that there is a Basilisk in Rauner. It is not down in the cavernous depths below the building, but on the second floor in the Rare collection. It is not very threatening to staff--none of us have been eaten, yet. Generally it stays politely within the covers of Conrad Gesners's Icones animalivm qvadrvpedvm viviparorvm et oviparorvm (Tigvri: excvdebat C. Froschovervs, 1560). There are some other cool beasts lurking in the pages--all very real to Gesner.

Wood cut image of three dragons. The one dragon is a snake-like serpent, another has wings and is in flight, and a third has wings and is rearing up. Wood cut image of a hydra. The hydra is serpent like with seven human-like heads each wearing a crown.

Come in this evening to see Rauner's Basilisk, or you can ask for Rare QL41.G372 anytime.
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