Archives Scrapbooks

Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Rinse, repeat.

Fogg Art Museum Scrapbook, January 1929-December 1931

ARCH.2003.25, Rendition: 794296

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-7B-Instruct

The image shows a page from a publication titled "Harvard Alumni Bulletin." The page number is 36, and the content appears to be an article discussing President Lowell's initiative, which involved the acquisition and use of special china for Harvard's dining halls. The text references the discovery of fragments of blue Staffordshire china in the university's heating tunnel, the subsequent investigation of these fragments, and the plans to use the same border design for new china with engraved Harvard scenes in the center. The article also mentions the cost challenges and the eventual success of the project, leading to the purchase and use of new china by Wedgwood. There is also a brief sidebar discussing the popularity of the "Doctor Virus" and the prevalence of the title "Doctor" among certain professions.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct

This image shows a page from the "Harvard Alumni Bulletin." The page number is 36, and the content is divided into two columns of text. The text appears to be an article discussing an initiative by President Lowell related to Harvard University. It mentions various projects that have had an influence beyond Harvard walls and details a specific event where fragments of china were discovered by workmen digging a tunnel. The article goes on to describe how President Lowell investigated these fragments and formed a wish to equip the dining halls of today with similar china.

The article also discusses the plan's popularity among Harvard graduates and how other colleges and schools have shown interest in the idea. It mentions a list of nearly thirty colleges and schools that have already obtained or ordered sets of plates to offer to their graduates. The text includes a humorous section titled "The Doctor Virus," which comments on the prevalence of people with the title "Doctor" in certain parts of the country.

The page has a vintage look, suggesting it is from an older publication. The text is printed in a serif font, and the paper has a slightly aged appearance. There are no images or illustrations on the page, only text.

Qwen, qwen.qwen3-vl-235b-a22b

This image displays two off-white, aged pages from a historical publication, laid out on a light blue surface. The left page is numbered "36" and is titled “HARVARD ALUMNI BULLETIN” at the top.

The text on this page details an initiative by President Lowell of Harvard University concerning the decoration of college dining halls with china. It recounts how fragments of old china were discovered during construction, identified as part of a set with Harvard building engravings, and inspired Lowell to commission new plates. The project, which became popular among other colleges (including Yale, Princeton, and MIT), involved selling these plates (priced at $12 a set) to fund the initiative, with over 6,000 dozen reportedly sold. The text also mentions plans to display a complete collection of these plates at the Fogg Museum.

Below the main article, there is a smaller, distinct piece titled “The Doctor,” which is a witty, satirical verse questioning the proliferation and perceived triviality of the title “Doctor” in society — contrasting it with the dignity once associated with titles like Colonel or Judge — and ends with a philosophical quip about the Ph.D. degree.

The right page is entirely blank, showing only the aged, off-white paper and clean edges. Its placement slightly overlapping the left page suggests the booklet is open but the right-hand page of this spread contains no content.

The overall appearance — including the serif font, the paper quality, the layout with justified text, and the subject matter — strongly indicates this is a historical document, likely from the early to mid-20th century, offering a glimpse into university culture, fundraising, and social commentary of the time.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image is of an open book with text on both pages. The left page has a title "President Lowell's Initiative" and a body of text. The right page has a title "The Doctor Virus" and a body of text. The text on both pages is in a serif font and appears to be from a magazine or journal. The pages are printed on white paper.

Amazon, amazon.nova-pro-v1:0

The image shows an open page of a book, likely a historical or academic publication. The page is numbered 36 and has a beige background. The text is printed in black ink and appears to be a narrative or essay. The content discusses the impact of a university president's initiative on various projects, including the creation of engravings for dining halls. The text also mentions the university's efforts to sell engravings and the potential benefits for the institution. The page has a clean and organized layout, with the text arranged in a single column. The font is legible and easy to read, making it accessible to readers. Overall, the image provides a glimpse into the historical context and the university's efforts to generate revenue through creative initiatives.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

The image shows a page from the Harvard Alumni Bulletin, specifically page 36. The page features a printed text document with a formal, historical tone, likely from an earlier era given the style of the typography and layout. The content is divided into two main sections:

Left Column:

  • The text discusses an initiative by President Lowell of Harvard University. It describes how he noticed a chin of events in the walls of his office, which led him to propose a plan involving the use of dining hall china from the past.
  • The narrative details how workers engaged in digging a tunnel for heat conduction discovered fragments of china, which were identified as part of the blue Staffordshire china decor used in the Harvard dining halls about a century ago.
  • President Lowell proposed equipping dining halls with similar china, using the same border designs, to evoke a sense of tradition. The cost of making the engravings alone was estimated at $300, but it was found that 300 to 500 dozen dining plates could be sold at $12 per dozen, making it a financially viable project.
  • The subsequent history of the plan is mentioned, noting that a delegation of University authorities proposed selling as many as 500 dozen plates. However, the Alumni Bulletin printed a discreet and modest notice of the project, with newspapers detecting a subject of general interest. The text highlights that the china was sold to secure the upset price of some 6,000 dozen plates, with representatives of Wedgewood providing new china made by contemporary artists.

Right Column:

  • This section is titled "The Doctor" and discusses the role and perception of doctors in society. It begins by noting that there are portions of the country where it is not considered indecent to be a doctor, but it is most indecent not to be one. The text references Mr. Elbert, Mr. Shaler, and Mr. Norton as examples of doctors, noting that their degeneration of dignity occurred in the days of Mr. Eliot in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  • The text then comments on the global proliferation of doctors, stating that bishops in their shovel hats were plentiful as doctors. It concludes with a reflective tone, suggesting that the employment of doctors as far from the epidemic employment sets the author to think about why their title does not apply to candidates for the Ph.D. degree.

Visual Elements:

  • The page is printed on aged, slightly yellowed paper, suggesting it is a historical document.
  • The text is typeset in a classic serif font, consistent with early 20th-century printing styles.
  • The layout is clean, with justified text and clear paragraph breaks.
  • The page number "36" is visible at the top left corner, indicating it is part of a larger publication.

Overall, the image portrays a page from a historical Harvard Alumni Bulletin, blending institutional history with commentary on societal roles, particularly focusing on the initiative to revive dining hall china and the perception of doctors in society.

OpenAI, gpt-4

You're looking at an open book or bulletin on a flat surface. The left page is filled with text and is marked "36" at the top, suggesting it's page 36 of the publication. The text mentions 'HARVARD ALUMNI BULLETIN' as a header, indicating the content relates to Harvard University's alumni community. The right page is blank and slightly offset towards the bottom, giving the appearance of a slight curvature at its lower edge, which is a common occurrence when books are left open. The paper appears to be of a light cream or beige color. There are no images, only text visible on the left page.

OpenAI, gpt-4o-2024-05-13

The image depicts a page from the Harvard Alumni Bulletin. The page number is 36, and the text mentions President Lowell and his initiatives for Harvard, details about the design and production of dining hall china bearing Harvard insignias, a proposal concerning alumni plates, and a note about the significance and employment of academic degrees. The text is set in a serif typeface and spans two columns. There is a blank sheet of paper lying underneath the page of the bulletin, slightly misaligned, creating a shadow effect and contrasting the written page above.

OpenAI, gpt-4o-2024-11-20

This image shows a page from a publication titled "Harvard Alumni Bulletin." The page is numbered 36 and features text printed in two columns. The content is a mix of paragraphs discussing university-related topics, mentioning names and institutions such as Harvard and the Fogg Museum, and providing anecdotes. The typography is simple, with no visible images or illustrations. Next to this page lies a blank piece of paper, partially overlapping the publication. The background is a solid light color, enhancing the clarity of the printed text.

OpenAI, gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07

  • The image shows an old, yellowed page from a Harvard Alumni Bulletin laid on a larger blank sheet.
  • The left page is printed with dense serif text and a header that reads “HARVARD ALUMNI BULLETIN” at the top, with the page number 36 in the upper left corner.
  • The text appears to be arranged in narrow columns and discusses topics like President Lowell’s initiative, with small subheadings such as “The Doctor” and “Virus.”
  • The right side of the image shows a plain, pale beige sheet, largely empty.
  • The two sheets rest on a light gray surface, giving a vintage, archival feel.