Tara Chapron

Please tell us about your research project.

My research is a contribution to the clothing aesthetics research during the Bronze Age period in Europe. During this time, a new elite appears alongside a clothing identity. My research is a comparison between two main zones in Europe that have preserved several costumes and detailed iconography: Denmark and Greece. The reconstitution of the costume at this time may highlight how the clothing aesthetics has been created, the relationship between several groups and the issue of identity.

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

I am staying at the Maison Française thanks to the Chancellerie scholarship. I will spend about nine months in Oxford in order to observe some costume elements from the Bronze Age that are preserved in the different Oxford museums as in the Ashmolean Museum. It is also the occasion for me to exchange with the archaeological community that live in Oxford.

First impressions of Oxford/the University?

Besides being a real pleasure to walk around with its harmonious architecture, the city seems to be the perfect place to develop any research project. There is an atmosphere that is really intellectually stimulating.