Françoise Baillet

Your son looks so happy on all the pictures. You are a wonderful mum, no doubt about it.

The Tammany Scrapbooks in display at the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures.
A thought for the late Brian Maidment, whose illuminating writings on the subject helped me understand and enjoy nineteenth-century scrapbooks.

Back in Cambridge, with fantastic memories of that NYC Thanksgiving weekend. Within the space of 3 days, I saw more treasures than that cartoon pirate hoarded, at the top of one of the Parade's floats.
I also walked like a marathon and am aching in muscles I did not know existed. Roll on, Xmas!

Punch's Pocket Book entry of the day: 'Nothing particular - Oyster dinner.' That may well be the title of my next paper.
Fantastic day at the Robert D. Farber Archives and Special Collections, Brandeis University.

Just wondering about the 'etc'...

That dial-up sound has already become a Proust madeleine-modem.

The great news of the day is that the New York Public Library holds W. M. Thackeray's very own Punch's Pocket Book for 1856, with ms. annotations about 'the fat of the land, claret in plenty & smoking too much.'
What's not to like? Made an appointment to consult the resource next week.

Sign the Petition Stop the removal of Modern Languages courses at the University of Nottingham!

At Nottingham University, students and academics have just been informed of the possible closure of the Departement of Modern Languages. I signed this petition.

Seen today. Fascinating connections between social and political struggles, past and present. Great exhibition.

Triumph of Religion, John Singer Sargent's extraordinary murals at @bpl.boston.gov Boston Public Library. Madame X nowhere to be seen.

Many thanks to our wonderful speakers and audience, last Friday at the British Library, for our "Pictorial Punch - Treasures from the Archive" event.
Punch's Pocket Book Archive is now entering its second phase: keep in touch!

What a surprise to find a collection of Punches, today, on the shelves of the beautiful Kenwood House!

The V&A East Storehouse is a sort of IKEArt: you just wander between racks full of furniture, tableware and decoration until you are caught by surprise by a giant cello or a 16th century Spanish ceiling (set up without an Allen key). Extraordinary.

Today's treat was a private 'sneak peek' of the British Library’s forthcoming special display commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Erudite and enlightening presentation by the BL curators.

Enjoying that ATBL fellowship soooo much.

...has been treated to a wonderful private view of Sambourne House/Leighton House collections and archives: drawers full of uncatalogued letters, pull-out sliding racks replete with sketches, pictures, and diaries, stimulating conversations with experts. I feel so lucky.

Sean Penn.

C'était ma critique de Une bataille après l'autre.
#OneBattleAfterAnother #PTA

Cover of Victorian Periodicals Review, volume 58, number 1, spring 2025; burgundy background with illustration of alien aircraft from H. G. Wells's _The War of the Worlds_.

NEW ISSUE ALERT! It's a happy day when you find the latest VPR in your mailbox. This number includes the 2024 VanArsdel and Expanding the Field essays as well as articles on asylum periodicals and the bookselling trade. Treat yourself to some delightful reading: muse.jhu.edu/issue/55567 @rs4vp.org

A really fine summary of this important aspect of the 19th-c newspaper press. Thanks, too, to the always terrific Victorian Commons for the link to this splendid clip about Dickens's experience as a Parliamentary reporter: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AROf... #19thc #C19th @rs4vp.org

RSVP Annual Conference – RSVP The nineteenth century was marked by unprecedented migration, as people moved to urban centers; were forcibly or semi-forcibly relocated; and emigrated to escape war, famine, economic instability, or…

✨ It's official! We're now accepting proposals for #RSVP2026, "Movements and Migrations"! We invite scholars to examine the relationship between periodicals, migrations, and movements for our 2026 conference in Dublin. Full CFP and more details on our main website.

Only a few days left to register for our "Pictorial Punch - Treasures from the Archive" study day, to be held at the #BritishLibrary on November 7.

Information and registration here: pictorial-punch.sciencesconf.org/registration

Une trame commune, trois histoires singulières et des personnages qui circulent entre les films comme ils parcourent la ville. C'est drôle, très poétique, onirique par moments. J'au beaucoup aimé.
#LaTrilogiedOslo

RSVP Conference 2025 – RSVP Dates July 10-12, 2025

Looking forward to meeting again the lovely @rs4vp.org community in Chicago!
conference.rs4vp.org

Honoured and delighted to have been selected for an American Trust for the British Library Research Fellowship 2025-2026!

I am very grateful for this opportunity to spend time working on the Punch Archive at the BL and on the extraordinary C19 collections at the Houghton Library, Harvard University

CFP: Special VPR Issue (Winter 2026) – RSVP Call for proposals for a special issue of VPR honoring the late Brian Maidment! Proposals due May 15, 2025 and will be published Winter 2026.

CFP: Essays in Honor of Brian Maidment (Proposals due May 15; Essays due Nov. 1). Guest editors Mary Elizabeth Leighton and Lisa Surridge invite proposals for a special issue of VPR. For full details, visit rs4vp.org/cfp-vpr-spec... @rs4vp.bsky.social

Many thanks to everyone who joined us online and on campus for our seminar on Wednesday afternoon! So proud of the amazing 19C research undertaken by our staff & students. We're especially grateful to Jereon Salman from Utrecht for his fascinating plenary on European penny prints and modernist art.

Thanks Helena!

Thrilled to announce that I have been awarded a Houghton Library Visiting Fellowship, Harvard University, for 2025-2026!

Very grateful for this opportunity, and looking forward to a bookworm year 📚

Excellent news! 'Pictorial Punch - Treasures from the Archive' has received the support of the @paulmelloncentr.bsky.social

Don't miss our November 7, 2025 study day at the British Library. CFP available below.

A lovely, erudite, and extremely generous scholar, from whom I learnt so much. Brian will be greatly missed.