Caxton Club upcoming events

On the Move | Driehaus Museum – Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin (08/05/2026)

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

On the Move

Join us for lunch at Rosebud on Rush followed by a guided tour of the exhibit Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin at the Driehaus Museum.

The exhibition explores the wit and graphic brilliance displayed by English graphic satirical artists such as James Gillray (1765–1815) and Thomas Rowlandson (1757–1827) to lampoon civics, society, and culture in Georgian London. Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin places original prints in dialogue with plagiarized works by artists in Ireland, evoking conversations about piracy, originality, and reproduction that have become more relevant than ever today.

The exhibition was organized by guest curators Silvia Beltrametti and William Laffan and following its debut at the Irish Architectural Archive in Dublin in 2025. Now ubiquitous in Internet meme culture and modern-day satire, the groundbreaking use of image and text during the Georgian period was a powerful form of storytelling, holding those in power accountable, and fostering bonds between classes and communities. Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin includes approximately 100 original prints.

12:00 noon lunch at Rosebud on Rush, 720 North Rush Street.

Short walk to the Driehaus Museum, 50 East Erie Street for 2:00 pm curated tour of the exhibit.

$65.00 includes choice of lunch menu item less than $30, non-alcoholic beverage, tax/tip, and admission to the Driehaus Museum. Registration via website closes noon August 3, unless capacity is reached earlier.

Lunch and tour limited to twelve attendees.

Zoom – Tim Gress on Collector Burton Emmett and American Book Design (09/11/2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

September Midday Program

During the First World War the American Red Cross mobilized fundraising with the slogan “All you need is a heart and a dollar.” It was so successful that it was quickly displayed all over the country on billboards, posters, in newspapers, and more.

That catchphrase was the inspiration of Burton Emmett — a former book agent, newspaper editor, reporter, and theatrical press agent who had become an advertising executive.

But his heart lay in collecting. Art and books. Preferably beautifully designed books.

Some of the Emmett collection will be on display as part of an exhibition called The Touch of Art: American Book Design 1880–1930 at the University of North Carolina’s Wilson Library, but you won’t need to book a trip to Chapel Hill to catch a look at it. Instead, you’ll enjoy a guided tour, with special background about Emmett. All from Tim Gress, who is curating the exhibition.

Gress is a PhD student and Graduate Teaching Fellow whose research focuses in part on the history of the book. He also serves as a graduate assistant in the Rare Book Collection at the Wilson.

If you like stories of collecting, great book design, and hearing the inside scoop about a carefully curated exhibition, then you’ll want to register. No dollar required. It’s free!

Please forward this notice to anyone who may find it of interest.

Even if you can’t attend at the scheduled time, if you’re interested, please register. After the program, we’ll send an email to all registrants, asking if you’d like a link to the complete recording. That way you can see the program even if you couldn’t attend live, ran into technical issues, or simply wanted to watch it again.

Neil Harris on Some Women Binders in Paris: The Deco Years (09/24/2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

September Program

During the 1920s a remarkable group of women binders, many with modernist aspirations, emerged in Paris. One or two are well known; others remain obscure. This talk will focus upon several of the most talented and productive among them, relying on images to document their achievements.

Neil Harris taught at the University of Chicago from 1969 to 2008, retiring as Preston and Sterling Morton Professor Emeritus in History and Art History. In addition to more than 100 published essays and articles his books include The Artist in American Society; Humbug: The Art of P. T. Barnum; Cultural Excursions; The Chicagoan: A Lost Magazine of the Jazz Age; and Capital Culture: J. Carter Brown, The National Gallery of Art, and the Reinvention of the Museum Experience. His research interests focus on the history of museums and collecting, the built landscape, international expositions, and the decorative arts. Harris has served as a member and chair of the Smithsonian Council, a trustee of the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, the Newberry Library, the Terra Foundation on the Arts, the National Museum of American History, and co-chaired the Visiting Committee to the J. Paul Getty Museum. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and recipient of the Joseph Henry Medal from the Smithsonian Institution.

$60 fee covers sandwiches with vegetarian options, coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic beverages, a cookie, tax, and service.

Parking: The WAC is accessible via public transportation. Valet parking is available at 116 E. Ontario, next to the entrance to the WAC. Payment is cash only, $15 for 1–3 hours and $20 for 4–7 hours, plus tip. You may also reserve and pay for a guaranteed parking spot through the Spot Hero app or website (spothero.com)