Curator Tim Husband shares how Peter Flötner used playing cards as a visual polemic to convey his worldview.

Cal, a Scholastic Gold Key Award recipient, bids goodbye to New York City through paintings in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Metadata and Collections Librarian William Blueher examines some of the striking fashion illustrations in Watson Library's digital collections.

The first in the "A Closer Look" series of learning-activity sets focusing on a particular work of art, this resource encourages young people and adults to look more closely at the Museum's spectacular set of Byzantine silver objects, known as the David Plates. It provides an in-depth exploration of the plates, including their subject—the biblical story of David and Goliath—and essential background information about the culture in which they were made. Also included are maps, teaching strategies, activities for students, a list of key words, and a bibliography. This learning activity is made possible through the generous support of Mary and Michael Jaharis.

The Cyrus Cylinder, currently on display in the exhibition The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: Charting a New Empire (June 20–August 4, 2013), is a document of unique historical significance. It records the Persian king Cyrus' conquest of the city of Babylon in 539 b.c., and his proclamation that cults and temples should be restored, their personnel allowed to return from Babylon to their home cities.

Associate Museum Librarian for Interlibrary Services and Digital Initiatives Robyn Fleming looks at the devastation wrought on Belgium in World War I as seen through books in Watson Library and a recent visit she made to the country.