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SUMMARY:Order and object: constructing collections in late 18th-century Fr
 ance - Emma Spary (Faculty of History)
DTSTART:20151102T130000Z
DTEND:20151102T141500Z
UID:TALK60878@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:39097
DESCRIPTION:The recent digitisation of a large number of auction catalogue
 s allows a more intensive enquiry into the composition of late 18th-centur
 y French collections than has hitherto been possible. On the principle tha
 t we cannot afford to make a priori judgements about who counted as an exp
 ert collector\, this paper suggests some ways in which this material might
  be used: 1) to construct overarching parameters for analysing collecting 
 practices\, which can serve as a baseline for comparing styles of ordering
  and arrangement\, and 2) to elaborate more tightly focused narratives of 
 the movement and significance of individual specimens\, collectors or coll
 ections\, drawing upon work on 'object biographies' and networks. This dua
 l perspective upon collecting as practice generates some interesting and u
 nexpected links between categories of collector often separated in standar
 d narratives\, highlights some trends in collecting within the specific cu
 lture under consideration\, and suggests the potential of a pan-European a
 pproach.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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