Author: Theresa Zischkin

In the second week of her research trip to Istanbul, Negar focused particularly on manuscripts from the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum collection housed in the Süleymaniye Library. During this period, she examined a selection of monumental manuscripts that offered valuable insights into the diversity of materials and artistic practices within the Islamic manuscript tradition.… Continue reading ISTANBUL, March 2026, Part II

A Study Trip to Istanbul: Manuscripts, Paper, and Encounters Across Time While Yih-chuen is spending time in China, Negar and Theresa set off from London to Istanbul for a joint study trip devoted to decorated paper, manuscript culture, and material practices across the Islamic world. Day 1: The Sakıp Sabancı Museum Their first day led… Continue reading ISTANBUL, March 2026, Part I

From Munich to London: A Week of Manuscripts, Margins, and Marvels 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… Continue reading LONDON, March 2026

New Perspectives on Knowledge and Making: Reflections from the 38th German Congress of Art History in Munich Attending the 38th German Congress of Art History in Munich was an inspiring and intellectually energising experience for our team. As researchers working on decorated paper, we were particularly interested in how this year’s central theme Knowledge would… Continue reading MUNICH, February 2026

Exploring the Preetorius Collection at the Museum Five Continents, Munich This week, Mandana and Theresa had the pleasure of visiting the Museum Five Continents (Museum Fünf Kontinente) in Munich to study objects from the Islamic holdings of the Preetorius Collection. The visit formed part of Mandana’s ongoing doctoral research, which focuses on the collector and… Continue reading MUNICH, February 2026

CHSTM Working Group on Colour Studies: The Global Deco Paper Project Roundtable This week, we had the pleasure of presenting our work at the CHSTM Working Group on Colour Studies, organised by Elizabeth Savage. What followed was a lively, collegial exchange with a wonderfully supportive group of peers, and we are deeply grateful for the warm… Continue reading LONDON, February 2026

Putting Theory into Practice: An Internal Paper Decoration Workshop This week, the team of Global Deco Paper decided it was time to move from theory to practice and quite literally get our hands dirty. We organised an internal workshop dedicated to experimenting with historical paper decoration techniques, using a range of materials inspired by those… Continue reading MUNICH, January 2026

The research continued in London, where Negar once again returned to the British Library—a place that had already become an anchor point for her. Her visit turned into an unexpectedly rich and deeply enjoyable experience. As someone who regularly works with Ottoman and Turkish materials across different collections, she arrived with a sense of familiarity.… Continue reading LONDON, November 2025, Part II

Silhouetted Paper on the Streets of London – Research Trip, Part I The first week of the team’s recent research trip to London proved both productive and inspiring. The city’s libraries and museums offered a wealth of material, and Negar, Theresa and Yih-chuen made great use of their time among its collections. While Yih-chuen spent… Continue reading LONDON, November 2025, Part I

A Visit to St Andrews: Studying the St Andrews Qur’an and Persian Manuscript Provenance In early November, Theresa travelled to St Andrews for a short but fruitful research visit. At first, she spend some time at the university’s conservation lab, where she had the opportunity to study the famous St Andrews Qur’an. Using a light… Continue reading ST ANDREWS, November 2025