4 – 5 pm
Towner Fellows’ Lounge
The assassination of Henri IV on May 14, 1610 brought with it fears of a return to the civil wars that had decimated France during the second half of the sixteenth century. In its aftermath, those close to the French crown orchestrated a propaganda campaign that had few precedents in European history. Drawing on the Newberry’s rich collection of French pamphlets, John McCormack will highlight the ways Marie de Medici and her advisers tried to turn fear of civil war into shared mourning and love for the late king in order to keep peace in a time of political turmoil.
The Newberry Library Colloquium is a weekly gathering of Newberry staff members, fellows, scholars-in-residence, and readers on Wednesday afternoon. Refreshments are available at 3:30 pm and an informal presentation begins at 4 pm, followed by discussion. The talks are varied, but all relate to the Newberry collections in some way. Speakers may describe a current research project, highlight a particular collection, or discuss one of the Library’s many ongoing or special programs. The Colloquium is open to the public and no reservations are required.