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The Science and Engineering of Machines: An Exhibition of Machine Books, 1472 to 1800
Curator: Mark E. Andrews
Dates: September 2026 to March 2027
The subject of this exhibition, machine books in the early modern era, is the quintessential example of illustrated technical books, tracing the evolution of technology and illustration techniques from 1472 to 1800. These machine books are defined by their comprehensive illustrated presentation of machines that supported the growth of science and technology. Making their public debut, the 60 items in the exhibition are on loan to the University of Alberta's Bruce Peel Special Collections from the private collection of the author and curator, Mark E. Andrews, for the duration of the exhibition. The featured books showcase a progression from early military focus (as seen in Roberto Valturio’s De re militari, 1472) to purely civil applications (like the windmills in Groot volkomen moolenboek, 1734). Ultimately, the exhibition catalogue highlights the lasting historical and aesthetic significance of these technical illustrations in the early development of engineering.