Entertaiment is the esthetic and social experience of an audience, which can be of a personal nature—as in a choice of pre-recorded entertainment for two on one’s own—or public, as in a banquet or a performance. The word’s origin, from the Medieval Latin intertenere, reflects its changing meaning through time and culture. The modern meaning, as reflected in this collection of media, emphasizes an aesthetic effect that can be playful or profound. This collection demonstrates the remarkable elasticity of entertainment, which has always found new forms, adapted to new times and places.