Clark Art Institute to exhibit copy of original Magna Carta in 'Radical Words'

Magna Carta Front.jpg

Magna Carta, Lincoln Cathedral Exemplar, 1215. Iron gall ink on parchment. Lincoln Cathedral, England [Image (c) Lincolnshire County Council]

Interested to view a document, pre-dating the Declaration of Independence, but one that promoted the common law right of due process and limited power of the executive, back in 1215?

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, in Williamstown, will have on view, from an English cathedral, one of the four surviving copies of the original Magna Carta. Signed by English nobles and endorsed by King John, the charter made the monarchy subject to the rule of law. It will be on view, from Sept. 6 through Nov. 2, along with other documents, on loan from Williams College, in the exhibit, "Radical Words: From Magna Carta to the Constitution."

"The Clark is thrilled to be hosting Magna Carta this fall, and certainly honored to be chosen by Lincoln Cathedral as an exhibition site," said Sally Morse Majewski, the institute's manager of public relations and marketing.

"'Radical Words" is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors, from throughout the Northeast, to explore how the Magna Carta influenced some of the most important documents in American history, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Emancipation Proclamation. The exhibition promises to be very popular with school groups and the general public."

Special events include a talk on Sept. 7, at 3 p.m., by The Very Reverend Philip Buckler, dean of Lincoln Cathedral, on how the ancient city of Lincoln and its medieval cathedral came to house the document.

The cathedral's exemplar is widely regarded as the finest extant copy of the document, due to the fact that it is written in an "official" hand, and has remained at the cathedral since the time of its first issue, according to a release about the exhibit. It is being lent by the cathedral as part of the United Kingdom's preparations for celebrating the document's 800th anniversary in 2015.

“While most of the original 63 clauses of the document deal with archaic issues that are read as curiosities today, Magna Carta set forth concepts of justice — including due process, trial by jury, and civil rights — that remain fundamental principles in modern democratic society,” Michael Conforti, director of the Clark, said in a release.

The other documents in the exhibition include a broadside original of the Declaration of Independence, printed on July 4, 1776, that is one of 26 known surviving copies; a draft of the United States Constitution, annotated by George Mason, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention; an 1863 official folio copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, printed by the U.S. State Department two days after President Abraham Lincoln signed the original; an 1876 original of the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States, published by the National Woman Suffrage Association; and a 1949 copy of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by a committee, that was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt.

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Chapin Library at Williams will display a 1622 printed edition of the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.

A special Freedom Family Day will be held on Nov. 2, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and there will also be free admission on Sept. 17, in commemoration of U.S. Constitution Day.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.