Francis Douce

author

Francis Douce

1757–1834

A passionate collector of the past, this British antiquary spent his life chasing the stories hidden in old manuscripts, prints, and curious objects. His books and collections helped preserve a rich picture of medieval and early modern culture for later readers.

2 Audiobooks

Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.

Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.

by Francis Douce

The Dance of Death Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans Holbein

The Dance of Death Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans Holbein

by Francis Douce

About the author

Born in London in 1757, Francis Douce became known as a British antiquary, collector, and museum curator. Although he first entered his father's legal office, he soon turned instead to the study of antiquities and built a reputation through his work with old manuscripts, prints, and other historical materials.

Douce was a prominent member of the Society of Antiquaries and served as Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum from 1799 to 1811. He was especially interested in medieval literature, art, popular customs, and the small details of everyday life that many scholars of his time overlooked.

He died on March 30, 1834. A large part of his remarkable collection was left to the Bodleian Library, where the Douce collection remains an important resource for researchers studying manuscripts, books, and visual culture.