Gezicht op de Bodleian Library, te Oxford 1707

This undated print shows the Bodleian Library at Oxford, rendered by an anonymous hand. It presents us with an important image of an institution, and a place of learning that has a specific role in the social life of its time. Note the architectural style and the way it creates a sense of formality and order; the composition emphasizes the college as a structured and organized space, a place for elites. Prints like this one circulated widely in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were consumed by people who might never have the chance to visit Oxford, but who were nonetheless invested in its image as a center of learning. As historians, we can look at prints like this as more than just simple views. We can explore the changing ideas about education, social class, and the role of institutions in shaping society by digging through archives, libraries, and other resources.