LECTURE DESCRIPTION

Beatrix Potter was a woman of many interests and ambitions, however we often come to know only one, her children’s books. Renowned for her fabulous Peter Rabbit storybook illustrations at the turn of the Century, Potter during this period was also involved in mycology and, later in life, land conservancy efforts in Britain.

 Join lecturer Spencer W. Stuart as he explores three facets of Potter’s life. Beginning with her extraordinarily successful children’s tales, of which she published twenty-three, he will delve into Potter’s lesser-known involvement with the study of fungi through scientific illustration as well as writing. Now housed in the Armitt Museum in England and Perth Museum in Scotland, these beautifully executed and famously accurate watercolours continue to serve as reference to both amateur and expert mycologists alike. Finally, he will discuss her enduring legacy to the conservation of the historic Lake District of North West England, revealing not only the familiar figure we have all come to know of imagination and fairy tale but also an enthusiastic, down-to-earth Naturalist caught up in the debates of the day.

BIO

Spencer Stuart holds a master’s degree in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute in London, England (recipient of the Director’s Award). Upon graduation he took a position with Bonhams Auctioneers where he worked closely with the North American Rare Books and Manuscripts department in Toronto and New York.

Spencer is now a collections advisor for middle to mature stage collectors of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and prints. In concert with his advising, he is an active writer and lecturer on histories of the printed word for a variety of international publications including The Book Collector and Amphora as well as having a monthly segment with Sheryl McKay on CBC Radio’s North by Northwest as a Book Historian.

Spencer is an alumnus of both the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminars (’18) and the Rare Book School (University of Virginia).