Folger Collections

One of 18th-century Britain’s most prolific narrative painters, Henry Fuseli found inspiration in Shakespeare, with his painting of Macbeth and the witches one of his “best poetical conceptions.”

Fellow Sara Pennell hunts down the former owner of one the Folger’s many recipe books.

Fellow Alex Baines looks at the drawings of C. Walter Hodges and how they continue to impact how we imagine the Globe Theatre

We revisit Kavita Mudan Finn’s April 2025 presentation as part of our Folger Book Club discussion of Flora Carr’s The Tower. Explore Folger collection items that relate to the novel.

Ahead of the US premiere of The Mirror and the Light, curator Heather Wolfe shares the juicy stories behind items in our collection related to Cromwell and Anne of Cleves.

We revisit Elizabeth Zeman Kolkovich’s March 2025 presentation as part of our Folger Book Club discussion of Flora Carr’s The Tower. Explore Folger collection items that relate to the novel.

Folger Fellow Ianick Takaes explores an early modern staging of heaven and hell.

A letter to Elizabeth I from the earl of Leicester, who was organizing the defense of Britain against the Spanish Armada at the time, shows their playful relationship.

A look at items in the Folger collection belonging to William Stukeley, an antiquarian with an interest in Robin Hood

GWU students reflect on their experience using the Folger collections in Dr. Rachel Pollack’s first-year writing course.

To celebrate her feast day, explore the legend of Saint Agatha as told through Folger manuscript V.b.334

Go behind the scenes of our exhibition, Little Books, Big Gifts: The Artistry of Esther Inglis. 400 years after her death, Inglis “can still make the whole place shimmer.”