Our copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio is on display for the first time in over a decade, as the centrepiece of a new exhibition - Shakespeare Recovered.
The Durham edition of the Folio, one of the most influential books in the English language, was stolen from our Cosin’s Library in 1998 and reappeared 10 years later at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C., USA. It was badly damaged, with its cover and some pages missing.
The book was returned to Durham in 2010, but the story did not end there.
Shakespeare Recovered reveals the cutting-edge analysis and conservation work undertaken to explore and protect the cultural masterpiece.
The exhibition shows how technology, such as spectroscopy (the precise study of colour) and infrared imaging are revealing hidden secrets within the book, including centuries-old doodles.
It also highlights how the damaged state of the book reveals details that would otherwise be hidden.
As the structure of the book's spine has been exposed by the missing cover, visitors can see evidence of its original binding, giving them a unique insight into book production in the 1600s.
Visitors can step into the shoes of our conservation team, with an interactive game to explore the conservation options for the Folio.
The exhibition also looks at the debate around whether the Durham First Folio should be rebound with a new cover.
Shakespeare’s First Folio is a literary wonder of the world, but only Durham’s First Folio can tell such a unique and powerful story. The vandalism it sustained left the Folio extremely vulnerable. But with this comes an opportunity to closely examine an iconic object in new ways and discover more about Shakespeare’s world and legacy.
Published in 1623, the First Folio was the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays.
Amongst the 36 plays included are 18 that had not previously been published, such as Macbeth and The Tempest. Without the First Folio, these works could have been lost to history.
Durham’s First Folio was originally purchased by Bishop John Cosin in the 1620s and added to his library in Durham in 1669.
Whilst around 750 copies of the First Folio were originally printed, only 235 are known to have survived. Each is unique, which made possible confirmation of the identity of the stolen Durham copy.
Since its return in 2010, our expert conservators have worked to preserve the historic book and find ways to make it safely accessible for future generations.
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