Wren Library, a photo from Cambridgeshire, England

Photographer's Note

I continue with the Trinity College in Cambridge. Recently, on TE, Oxford is more popular. I liked Oxford very much but for me as a physicist, the visit to Cambridge was more important.

Members of Trinity have won 34 Nobel Prizes out of the 116 won by members of Cambridge University, the highest number of any college at either Oxford or Cambridge. Five Fields Medals in mathematics have been won by members of the college (of the seven awarded to members of British universities) and one Abel Prize has been won.

Trinity alumni include six British prime ministers (all Tory or Whig/Liberal), physicists Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, Ernest Rutherford and Niels Bohr, mathematicians Srinivasa Ramanujan and Michael Atiyah, the poets Lord Byron and Lord Tennyson, historians Lord Macaulay, G. M. Trevelyan and E.H. Carr, philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell (whom it expelled before reaccepting), and Soviet spies Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, and Anthony Blunt.

Here the view of the Wren Library. It was designed by Christopher Wren in 1676 and completed in 1695.

The library is a single large room built over an open colonnade on the ground floor of Nevile's Court. The book stacks are arranged in rows perpendicular to the walls under the intervals between the windows. A later addition is a full size statue of Lord Byron carved by Bertel Thorvaldsen, originally offered to Westminster Abbey for inclusion in Poets' Corner, but refused due to the poet's reputation for immorality.

The library contains many notable rare books and manuscripts, many bequeathed by past members of the college. Included in the collection are

Isaac Newton's first edition copy of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica with handwritten notes for the second edition.
Isaac Newton's (1659�61) Notebook
A. A. Milne's manuscript of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.

holmertz, jean113, pierrefonds, jhm, PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, jemaflor, ktanska, ChrisJ, Royaldevon, tyro, mcmtanyel, PiotrF has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Silvio1953 (220605) 2020-07-04 1:19

Ciao cara Malgo, great perspective of beautiful interior with fantastic floor, wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

holmertz (101988) 2020-07-04 1:29

Hello Malgo,
This is my second attempt to write a critique for this photo.
It's an interesting photo from a place probably not seen here very often, and the note provides interesting information. The bookshelves, windows and the checkered floor create fine depth, and the light is very good. But the photo is leaning a bit to the right. ;-)
Kind regards,
Gert

jean113 (27637) 2020-07-04 2:47

Hello Malgo, your notes are very detailed, thanks for those.
I have never been to this library so to view it here is very interesting.
This isn't your sharpest shot, but we still get a very good impression of the library.

I like the information that the manuscript of Winnie the Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner are kept safely here.
Kind regards, Jean.

pierrefonds (113590) 2020-07-04 4:49

Hi Malgo,

The length of the room is creating depth. I like the patern of the floor. The point of view is showing the details of the Wren Library. Have a nice day.

Pierre

jhm (211734) 2020-07-04 5:28

Hello Malgo,

Pleasant oerspective view about this floor.
I bring almost every week a visit at the library
You took a very nice picture out of an excellent angle.
Perfect captured.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

foxy (3447) 2020-07-04 6:30

Hello MALgo,
I don't know what is going on in TE. So many times I was re-direct or I'm not robot.......
To cut it short...I would like to say very interesting notes and well known names. Is Isaac newton your idol?
Very clever shot to use the floor as fg to show the depth with the row of row of bookshelves .....and the books of wisdom.
Thanks for sharing.
Loong

PaulVDV (62802) 2020-07-04 10:35

Hello Malgo,
In this photo, the floor rightly demands more attention than the ceiling.
But the light entering through the windows and the stained glass window in front of us doesn't make it easy.
Are you going to make Cambridge as popular as Oxford on TE?
Best regards, Paul

Tue (91574) 2020-07-04 12:59

Hello Malgo,
A great view down the long library hall with old book cases on either side. The chequered floor looks very attractive as well and I like the soft, subdued lighting, which goes well together with the quiet atmosphere of the place.
Lars

COSTANTINO (115539) 2020-07-04 23:14

hello dear Malgorzata and have
a nice Sunday
this photo is not so simple
but really complicated with
a great depth and symmetry
how many books are into
these libraries??????
...too many I think...
thanks for your useful notes....
regards
Costantino

jemaflor (146280) 2020-07-04 23:22

Hi Malgo,
excellent effect, great depth result, nice pavement, good management for the exposure,an interior well photographed and presented, tfs.

ifege (46951) 2020-07-05 0:19

Hi Malgo
A good photo of the library but I wonder why the central part is roped off.
cheers
Ian

pajaran (114915) 2020-07-05 0:43

Greeting.
Beautiful interior and details, nicely shown with good perspective and beautiful colors. Nice library and shelves with books, nice photo format.
I wish you all the best.
Paja.

rychem (72187) 2020-07-05 1:33

Super biblioteka, stare wyposazenie i ujelas ja bardzo perspektywicznie
pozdrawiam Ryszard
PS. Widze, ze coraz mniej ludzi na TE, takie idiotyczne zabezpieczenia tylko zniechecaja, sam sie zastanawiam, jak dlugo to bede cierpliwie znosil
R.

abmdsudi (95869) 2020-07-05 2:16

Hi Malgorzata
An appealing indoor capture as viewed from this angle with immense sense of perspective and depth. The flooring is another strong point with the visitors lends an extra boost of liveliness. Excellent shot
Best regards

ktanska (44468) 2020-07-05 2:47

Hi Malgo,
This place is so full of history of science. And quite wonderful photo too. Those old book shelves look great and perspective is wonderful.
Kari

ChrisJ (171222) 2020-07-06 5:29

Hi Malgo

Good graphism with the checked floor and the atmosphere with the stained glass window at the back reminds me of a cathedral. Tfs!

Royaldevon (85606) 2020-07-06 6:47

Hello Malgo,

Such long, indoor perspectives are usually taken inside churches or cathedrals so this is a very very welcome change.

You transfer us so easily from the f/g to the stained glass window and sculpture.

Is the security very strong in this library?
Are the books for loan or just to referenced in situ?

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

jmdias (114278) 2020-07-06 12:07

malgo

marvelous interior, I didn't see no one while there.
I liked the shelves, the chess ground and the statues with this perfect perspective of the long hall. very beautiful image of this famous city.
nice to know you profession.
take care

jorge

tyro (30513) 2020-07-06 12:25

Hello dear Malgo,

I can quite understand how you so much enjoyed your visit to Cambridge and especially to this splendid library, not only because of its priceless collection of books and manuscripts but also because of its famous architect.

A very fine photograph with strong perspective, probably enhanced by the magnificent chequered floor, and with lots of detail in the bookshelves, window bays and ceiling. Just a slight pity that it leans just a tad to the right but otherwise excellent.

And, of course, a fabulous note! I can just imagine you scurrying around this place, looking in every corner and loving absolutely every minute of it! :)

Splendid!

Kind Regards,

John. xx

worldcitizen (15956) 2020-07-07 14:05

Hello Malgo,
You critiqued my library photo, and now I found a lovely library in your gallery, too. :-) This is a very elegant and attractive room. I like all the arched windows and the busts on top of each bookcase. I read the discussion you were having with Gert about the tilt. I see it, too! TE is acting so strange lately that maybe we are all seeing something different! I made a WS with some small changes. Take good care. :-)

[workshop] [compare]

mcmtanyel (67657) 2020-07-08 21:26

Hello Malgo,
It is a beautiful library. I love the patterns on the floor. 👍🏻 The photo is tilting to the right a little bit, but it is easily corrected in Photoshop. I used my quota of workshops today, but if you like, I can upload a straightened version later.
Regards,
MT

PiotrF (54246) 2020-07-14 13:35

Czesc Malgo
Swietna perspektywe uchwycilas.
Widze, ze trudne chwile przezywasz... znowu kilka lat straconych, ale zeby tak od razu pokazywac obce miejsce i zgromadzone tam dziwne przedmioty elektoratowi pewnego pana...
pozdrawiam, 3maj sie
Piotr