Researching a work in the collection can lead a curator to some very interesting places other than libraries. I was fortunate to have been in Berlin on May 14, 2015 which was the anniversary of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s death in 1847. I had corresponded previously with Thomas Lackmann, a descendant of Fanny Hensel’s and board...

A colorful scene plays out against a background of impressive classical columns in this handmade French paper dated to the 1820s. A musical quartet featuring a cellist, two violinists and a harpsichord player crowd atop a lush, green carpet to give an exclusive concert. Listening to the music are a regal couple seated in elegant...