Watzek Collections: Paging Through the Past

In her 200-level course Medieval Manuscripts, Professor of English Karen Gross brings history to life with the help of Watzek Library’s rich special collections. Students engage both intellectually and physically with a variety of works, from individual manuscript pages to entire books, such as the first Italian illuminated manuscript housed in Portland.

While the course is usually taught on a biennial basis, a special exception will be made for the 2025–26 academic year as Lewis & Clark prepares to host nine artifacts from the world’s leading manuscript dealer, Paris-based Les Enluminures. This honor is usually reserved for universities that have graduate programs associated with manuscripts. 

“It’s a true testimony to us as a college that we were chosen,” says Gross. As part of this unique opportunity, Lewis & Clark will host a public exhibition of the manuscripts in January and February of 2026.