Lucy Ballou traveled to Paris and London to research Jewish art collectors in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries
What is your topic and what made you choose it?
For my thesis, I am exploring the experience of Jewish art collectors in England and France in the late nineteenth century and the years leading up to World War II. I have been looking into the Jewish populations in these two nations, focusing on how they were structured and the issues they faced during this time period. I am also exploring the role of art collecting and the art market and what led wealthy Jewish families to become so prominent in this world. I am looking at the impact of the Holocaust and Nazi art plunder on these communities as well. Throughout my research, I have discovered that there is a lot of discussion and scholarship on the French side of this but considerably less on the English side. I hope to shed more light on the Anglo-Jewry’s experience throughout these years.
Have you been able to travel for your research and if so where have you gone and how was the experience
Yes! I was fortunate enough to receive funding from the Leroy Fund which provides funding for history majors to participate in research for theses outside of Trinity College. I traveled to London and Paris last summer to engage in work in the archives and garner some firsthand looks at the topics of my research. Being able to view original documents and artworks firsthand has added a profound dimension to my study, enhancing both the depth and authenticity of my research, something that is especially important when exploring a topic as consequential as this.
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced so far?
One of the biggest challenges I have faced in my work so far is focusing and refining all of my research. In a project as big and long as this one, it is easy to cast a very wide net for your research in the early stages. I found that I had read and learned about so much in the broader topic of my research that when I started writing, my paper didn’t feel very focused. It was hard to refine all of my work but this was something that getting feedback from my advisor and talking through my ideas helped with a great amount.
What advice would you give to someone currently considering writing a history thesis
Do it! Trinity offers great resources to complete fascinating research and the History department and its professors are endlessly supportive. Writing my senior thesis feels like a culmination of all that I have been working towards throughout my four years here, especially my time as a History major. My biggest piece of advice is- the more passionate you are about the topic, the easier it is to write the thesis so choose something that you are excited to learn aboutand write about. It is definitely a large undertaking and can be daunting at times but it is an incredibly rewarding experience.
