Giulia Gallo

Please tell us about your research project.

I am a PhD candidate in a joint doctoral programme (cotutelle) between the University of Basilicata and Sorbonne Université. My PhD research focuses on the reception of Xenophon during the fifteenth century. In particular, I am preparing the first critical edition of the Latin translation of Xenophon's Oeconomicus produced by the Milanese humanist Lampugnino Birago. My research combines textual criticism, codicology, and palaeography. By studying manuscripts preserved in various European libraries, I aim to reconstruct the text's history and shed new light on the life and scholarly activity of Lampugnino Birago. More broadly, I am interested in humanist translations from Greek into Latin and in the circulation of classical texts during the Italian Renaissance.

Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme? 

I am currently staying at the Maison Française d'Oxford as the recipient of a Monthly Scholarship. During my stay, I have consulted several manuscripts preserved at the Bodleian Library and Magdalen College that are essential for my doctoral research. I have also visited the British Library in London to study an additional manuscript related to my project. These consultations have allowed me to gather new material, deepen my understanding of the manuscript tradition, and make significant progress in preparing my thesis and future publications.

Beyond the research opportunities, my time at the Maison Française has also been an enriching experience thanks to the exchanges with scholars from different fields and the stimulating academic environment it provides.

First impressions of Oxford/the University?

Oxford immediately impressed me with its unique combination of history and academic life. The colleges, libraries and museums create an extraordinary atmosphere for research, and it is easy to understand why scholars from all over the world come here.