After a productive Monday morning in the office in Munich, Negar and Theresa set off together for London – ready to immerse themselves in a week of exciting research and discovery. The transition from Bavarian routine to London’s vibrant scholarly landscape could not have been more invigorating.
Their work began the very next day. Negar headed to the British Library, where she delved into alba amicora featuring exquisite silhouetted paper. Meanwhile, Theresa made her way to the V&A, where she examined a selection of folios and albums. Among the highlights was the remarkable Small Clive Album, whose intricate details left a lasting impression.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Emily Hannam and Ekta Raheja for facilitating this visit and for generously allowing our team member to use specialised equipment – an invaluable contribution to our research.
The following day brought both researchers to the British Museum, where they explored a rich variety of decorated paper techniques – from stencils and sprinkles to delicate paper cuts. Particularly striking were the stencil-marbled folios, as well as an Ottoman costume book adorned with vivid floral découpage, which captivated both Negar and Theresa.
Their work continued the next day with the study of a fascinating Mughal portrait album, notable for its silver-sprinkled and vividly coloured margins. We are deeply grateful to the British Museum Study Room team – especially Victoria Butt – for their support and assistance throughout this visit.
In-between their research, Negar and Theresa also found moments of unexpected scholarly exchange. One such highlight was a conversation with a professor from Oxford, who was engaged in reading cuneiform tablets dating back to 2,500 BCE – a reminder of the incredible breadth of human history preserved within the museum’s walls.
Lunch breaks were spent exploring the museum’s galleries, offering a welcome pause and fresh inspiration before the next round of study. In the afternoon of their second British Museum study day, they met with their colleague Emily Shovelton, who accompanied them to Forum Auctions in Battersea. There, they were warmly welcomed by Nick McBurney, who invited them to view a manuscript from an upcoming auction featuring intriguing stencilled designs.
They had a wonderful time and would like to thank Nick for facilitating the visit, as well as Emily for her insightful contributions throughout the afternoon.
On Friday, their paths diverged once more. Negar continued her research at the British Library, while Theresa travelled to the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. There, she examined three magnificent manuscripts from a Lucknow collection, featuring a rich array of stencilled, marbled, and other forms of decorated paper.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to curator Carlotta Barranu and conservator Ashleigh Brown for making this visit possible and for kindly allowing our team member to use specialised equipment – another essential component of this research journey.
On their final day, Negar and Theresa made use of every last moment. They returned briefly to the British Library to examine another album amicorum with silhouetted and stencilled folios. Skimming through entries in English, Latin, German, French, Italian, Hebrew, and Ancient Greek, they were reminded of the deeply interconnected intellectual networks of the past.
They were also able to use a DinoLite microscope to gain close-up insights into the materials and techniques of the decorations. Our sincere thanks go to the Manuscripts Study Room team for their support.
By the afternoon, it was time to head to the airport – already en route to their next research destination.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of this research journey!